Protrusion of a migrated fish bone in the neck

Cheng, Yuan-Chia; Lee, Wei-Che; Kuo, Liang-Chi; Chen, Chao-Wen; Lin, Hsing-Lin

doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2008.03.004

« Previous Next »American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 30, Issue 3 , Pages 203-205, May 2009

Protrusion of a migrated fish bone in the neck

Yuan-Chia Cheng, MD
- Department of Trauma, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Wei-Che Lee, MD
- Department of Trauma, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Liang-Chi Kuo, MD
- Department of Trauma, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Chao-Wen Chen, MD
- Department of Trauma, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Hsing-Lin Lin, MD
- Department of Trauma, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Corresponding author. Department of Trauma, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 73125895x7553; fax: +886 3208255.

Received 1 February 2008 published online 24 July 2008.

Abstract

Uningested fish bone swallowing is common, but protrusion of the unswallowed fish bone from the neck is very rare. We report a 3-cm fish bone, which was not diagnosed during the patient first visit at emergency room, resulting in a protrusion out of the patient's neck skin 21 days later after ingurgitation of the bone. The migrated fish bone was safety pulled out directly after obtaining computed tomography of the neck to make sure no soft tissue or major artery involved. Migration of ingested fish bone is an uncommon complication, which has the potential risk to cause morbidity and mortality. Therefore, if findings of physical examination, x-rays, or laryngoscope are negative, it is important to recheck the patient if sore throat persists. Obtaining a neck computed tomography or performing gastroendoscopy to rule out the possible mis-swallowing of fish bone should be warranted. To the authors' knowledge, such a case has not been previously reported in medical literature.