Chest Pain
Two cases of unsuspected esophageal foreign body ingestion with chest pain as the main symptom are reported. Both patients had extensive cardiac evaluation to rule out myocardial ischemia. They were discharged home with continuing chest pain and odynophagia. Both patients were denture wearers, and further questioning revealed the coincidence of chest pain with taking meals. Further evaluation revealed an impacted esophageal foreign body in one patient and an esophageal perforation with a mediastinal abscess in the other. These cases illustrate the importance of considering esophageal foreign bodies as factors in chest pain.
Chest pain is a common symptom and tends to be overinvestigated. It is a frequent manifestation of both cardiac and noncardiac conditions. Esophageal disorders are the most common causes of noncardiac chest pain. Both organs share the same neural pathways; therefore the perception of pain and other sensations arising from these organs may be similar. We report two cases of unsuspected esophageal foreign body in patients with chest pain and odynophagia. They had extensive workups to rule out cardiac events. Both patients had negative results on cardiac evaluation and were discharged home, but they continued to have chest pain. On further evaluation they were found to have esophageal conditions related to foreign body ingestion.
Two cases of unsuspected esophageal foreign body ingestion with chest pain as the main symptom are reported. Both patients had extensive cardiac evaluation to rule out myocardial ischemia. They were discharged home with continuing chest pain and odynophagia. Both patients were denture wearers, and further questioning revealed the coincidence of chest pain with taking meals. Further evaluation revealed an impacted esophageal foreign body in one patient and an esophageal perforation with a mediastinal abscess in the other. These cases illustrate the importance of considering esophageal foreign bodies as factors in chest pain.
Chest pain is a common symptom and tends to be overinvestigated. It is a frequent manifestation of both cardiac and noncardiac conditions. Esophageal disorders are the most common causes of noncardiac chest pain. Both organs share the same neural pathways; therefore the perception of pain and other sensations arising from these organs may be similar. We report two cases of unsuspected esophageal foreign body in patients with chest pain and odynophagia. They had extensive workups to rule out cardiac events. Both patients had negative results on cardiac evaluation and were discharged home, but they continued to have chest pain. On further evaluation they were found to have esophageal conditions related to foreign body ingestion.
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