Acute dysphagia after carp fish meal: a case report.

An 80-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with acute dysphagia symptoms of 8 hours' duration. The problem began after a carp fish meal. Prominent symptoms included inability to swallow, mild dyspnea, and cough. Laboratory evaluation and fiber-optic examination of the upper aerodigestive tract was normal except for accumulation of saliva in the hypopharynx. Examination with a flexible esophagoscope revealed a total blockage of the lumen of the lower esophagus due to impaction of carp fish roe (column-like formation). With careful maneuvers and water pressure we were able to relieve the obstruction. No other lesion was detectable and no further interventions were needed. Patient follow-up was uneventful.