Esophageal Foreign Bodies - How Will We Extract Them in the Future?

For the extraction of esophageal foreign bodies (FBs), the flexible fiberoptic esophagoscope is often inadequate and may be dangerous. This is particularly so in the presence of sharp FBs and those with protruding parts. Under such circumstances the danger of perforation is increased and the rigid (open-tube) instrument should be used for their extraction. In recent years there is an overwhelming tendency to abandon the rigid esophagoscope in favor of the flexible instrument. As a result, many physicians in training in relevant disciplines are not proficient in the use of the rigid instrument. The author worries about this tendency and calls for the reintroduction of rigid esophagoscopy into clinical use. For this purpose, the inclusion of rigid esophagoscopy in the training curricula of physicians involved in the study and treatment of esophageal disease is urged (Adv Clin Exp Med 2008, 17, 6, 595-597).