Open surgery with a lateral neck approach in cases of foreign body impaction that penetrating the neck through the esophagus: a single-center experience

Abstract Background Because the cases are quite scarce, we aimed to review cases of foreign body impaction penetrating the neck through the esophagus to analyze the characteristics of these cases. The open surgery skills of the surgeon, the treatment procedure and the surgeons’ experience in the rare diseases were analyzed. Methods We collected and analyzed all cases from 2015–2020 in our hospital. Surgical skills and procedures for fasting and anti-infection treatment were reviewed retrospectively. Follow-up was telephone communication. Results Our series included 15 cases. Tenderness in the pre-cervical site was a physical sign for screening. Thirteen cases underwent a lateral neck open surgery with the incision including the left side of neck and only two cases were incised from the right side of the neck. Pus was found 3 days after the impaction in one case, the shortest time observed in our series. The esophageal laceration was only sutured primarily in 5 cases (33.33%) among all fifteen cases. After sufficient drainage (average more than 9 days), antibiotic treatment and fasting (normally 2–3 weeks), patients gradually began to switch to solid foods from fluids after complete blood counts and confirmations from esophageal radiography result. No severe complications occurred, and all the patients have no swallowing dis-function and recovered well. Conclusion Surgery should be performed as soon as possible after impaction. Lateral neck approach surgery and the therapeutic procedure described in this article are safe and effective treatments.