A Case of a Migrating Foreign Body in the Esophagus of a 65-Year-Old Woman

Objective: To report a case of a migrating foreign body in the esophagus of a 65- year-old woman: its clinical presentation, diagnosis and management. Methods:Design: Case ReportSetting: Tertiary Government Training HospitalPatient: One Results: A 65-year-old woman consulted with a history of foreign body ingestion (chicken bone). Initial imaging confirmed the presence of the ingested object. Rigid esophagoscopy did not find the foreign body. Subsequent neck computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a hyperdense, spindle-shaped object situated lateral to the left esophagus. The foreign object was successfully retrieved via a lateral pharyngotomy approach without complication. Conclusion: Migrating foreign bodies may initially present with minimal or nonspecific symptoms such as foreign body sensation or dysphagia but can progress to more overt signs. In such cases, CT offers superior localization compared to radiographs and is essential in guiding definitive surgical management to facilitate safe and effective foreign body retrieval. Rigid esophagoscopy remains a valuable tool for confirming migration and evaluating for mucosal injury or perforation. When endoscopic retrieval is unsuccessful, timely surgical intervention is critical to prevent serious complications.