Emergency Room Foley Catheter Retrieval of an Oesophageal Foreign Body In A Low-Resource Setting: A Case Series
Abstract
Two paediatric oesophageal coin foreign bodies successfully retrieved using a Foley catheter approach in resource-limited emergency settings.
Infants are particularly vulnerable to oesophageal foreign bodies because exploratory hand-to-mouth behaviour increases the risk of accidental ingestion. Presentation may be obvious, including airway compromise, or more subtle with drooling and refusal to feed. Prompt recognition and appropriate emergency management are therefore important.
Two male infants aged 12 months and 9 months presented at different hospitals with drooling and suspected coin ingestion. Chest radiographs demonstrated radiopaque coins lodged at the thoracic inlet. Both foreign bodies were successfully retrieved using a Foley catheter technique, followed by clinical improvement.
Although endoscopic removal remains the standard approach for oesophageal foreign bodies, Foley catheter extraction may offer a practical, minimally invasive and comparatively low-cost alternative in carefully selected cases. Appropriate imaging, patient selection, procedural expertise and emergency backup remain important for safe application.
Foley catheter retrieval may be useful for selected blunt, radiopaque foreign bodies located in the proximal oesophagus, particularly when endoscopic resources are limited. The cases demonstrate the importance of context-appropriate emergency strategies while maintaining strict selection and safety criteria.
Two paediatric oesophageal foreign-body presentations.
Both patients were male infants.
Radiopaque coins lodged near the thoracic inlet.
Balloon-assisted retrieval successfully removed both objects.
12-Month-Old Male Infant
Presbyterian Health Complex Nsimeyong, Yaoundé.
Drooling, mouth opening, refusal to feed and distress.
Chest radiography showed a circular radiopaque object at the proximal oesophagus.
A lubricated 12 Fr Foley catheter was advanced beyond the coin, the balloon inflated, and controlled traction used for extraction under mild sedation.
Successful extraction without respiratory or bleeding complications; no dysphagia or complications were reported at one-week follow-up.
9-Month-Old Male Infant
Regional Hospital Annex, Nkambe.
Gagging, refusal to feed, excessive drooling, intermittent coughing and noisy breathing.
Radiography confirmed a circular radiopaque foreign body in the proximal oesophagus at the thoracic inlet.
Urgent extraction was undertaken under general anaesthesia. Following direct laryngoscopy, a Foley catheter was passed beyond the coin and balloon traction used to retrieve it.
The coin was removed without reported complication, the oesophagus was inspected for perforation, and extubation was completed without incident.
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Clinical Case Series
The article reports two paediatric cases of oesophageal coin foreign bodies managed using Foley catheter retrieval in resource-limited emergency-care environments.
Two Male Infants
The case series involved a 12-month-old male infant and a 9-month-old male infant presenting with symptoms following suspected coin ingestion.
Radiographic Confirmation
Chest radiographs confirmed circular radiopaque foreign bodies located in the proximal oesophagus at approximately the thoracic inlet in both cases.
Foley Catheter Extraction
A Foley catheter was advanced beyond the foreign body, the balloon inflated and controlled traction applied to retrieve the coin. The first procedure was performed with mild sedation, while the second was performed urgently under general anaesthesia.
Resource-Limited Emergency Care
The authors present Foley catheter retrieval as a potentially useful alternative for selected blunt, smooth and radiopaque oesophageal foreign bodies when timely endoscopic resources are limited.
Strict Selection Criteria
The published discussion emphasises that the technique should be reserved for appropriately selected cases. Sharp foreign bodies, batteries, magnets, suspected perforation, significant bleeding and other high-risk situations require alternative management.
Experienced Clinical Team
Appropriate imaging, airway assessment, procedural expertise, suitable sedation or anaesthesia and access to emergency backup are important safeguards when considering the Foley catheter technique.
Procedural Consent Documented
The published case report explicitly documents informed consent prior to Foley catheter retrieval in the first case. No separate formal research ethics approval reference number is stated in the published article.
Contributor Statement
Equal contributions.
Conflict of Interest & Funding
Conflict of Interest:
No conflict of interest.
Funding:
No funding received by the authors.
Conference & Institutional Support
The authors acknowledged The Operating Room Global and King Faisal Hospital Rwanda for the opportunity to share the work at the TORG + KFHR 2025 2nd Annual Scientific Conference and 10th Anniversary at IRCAD Africa, Kigali, Rwanda. They also acknowledged the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon Health Services for supporting the case series.
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Licence & Article Record
This article is published by
The Operating Room Global Journal (TORGJ)
under the Creative Commons Attribution
4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0).
Persistent DOI:
10.64573/torgj2509006
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