Metallic foreign body migrating into prevertebral muscles: how we did it?

Accidental ingestion of foreign bodies is common in ENT practice. A very small number of ingested foreign bodies perforate the esophagus and even a smaller fraction of extra mucosal migration penetrates into the soft tissues of the neck. Most cases reported in the literature involve fish bones. If left untreated, they may result in life threatening complications. This case presents a patient with a metallic foreign body (metal wire) in the esophagus which migrated extraluminally into the prevertebral muscle of the neck and describes the difficulties encountered in removing the migrated foreign body. Intra-operative radiography using two metallic pointers was used to locate the exact position of the foreign body during exploration of the neck.