Guide to extraluminal fish bone retrieval with serial computed tomography scans: a case series

Abstract

Abstract Background Fish bone ingestion is commonly encountered in emergency department. It poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge particularly when it migrates extraluminally, necessitating a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach for successful management. Case presentation Here we reported four cases of extraluminal fish bone. The first patient was a 68-year-old Chinese man who had odynophagia shortly after a meal involving fish. The second was a 50-year-old Iban man who reported a sharp throat pain after consuming fish 1 day prior. The third patient was a 55-year-old Malay woman who developed throat pain and odynophagia after consuming fish 1 day earlier. The fourth patient, a 70 year-old Iban man, presented late with odynophagia, neck pain, swelling, and fever 1 week after fish bone ingestion. These unintentional fish bone ingestions faced challenges and required repeat computed tomography scans using multiplanar reconstruction in guiding the surgical removal of the fish bone. Conclusion We underscore the significance of multiplanar reconstruction in pinpointing the fish bone’s location, demonstrating the migratory route, and devising an accurate surgical plan.