Video Capsule Endoscopy: Think Pharyngeal Pouch - Retention of a Video Capsule in a 94-Year-Old in the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract.

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) provides endoluminal visualisation of the small bowel. It is often regarded as well-tolerated, non-invasive, and safe across all age groups, with the main, albeit rare, complication of retention of the capsule - normally in the small bowel or lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Retention in the upper GI tract is extremely rare; here, we present a case of a 94-year-old who experienced capsule retention in a previously undiagnosed pharyngeal pouch. This appears to be the first case report detailing video capsule retention in a pharyngeal pouch involving a patient of such an advanced age, and in which endoscopic retrieval was not necessitated. The learning here is that patients should be evaluated for prior medical history or the possibility of a pharyngeal pouch before performing VCE.