Esophageal foreign bodies in children.

In the diagnosis of esophageal foreign bodies in children, stridor and dyspnea as well as dysphagia are important. The history is often negative. Long-standing esophageal foreign bodies often present as a neck mass and develop Zenker-type diverticula in the cricopharyngeal sphincteric area. CT scanning has proven to be highly useful in delineating radio-transparent foreign bodies and their precise location in this clinical situation. Two cases with dysphagia and three cases with respiratory distress are presented and discussed.