A Case of Removal of a Submucosal Pharyngeal Foreign Body (Fish Bone) by Transoral Videolaryngoscopic Surgery

Submucosal pharyngeal foreign bodies are generally surgically removed. Herein, we report the case of a patient with a buried fish bone in the hypopharynx that was successfully removed by transoral videolaryngoscopic surgery (TOVS). A 68-year-old woman presented with odynophagia after swallowing a fish bone on the day before admission. The bone could not be identified on endoscopic examination. Subsequent computed tomography (CT) revealed a 26-mm linear foreign body deeply embedded in the wall of hypopharynx. TOVS was performed under general anesthesia, which provided excellent visibility and easy access to the hypopharynx. The mucosal incision was executed with a unipolar coagulation knife. The buried fish bone was detected in the submucosal layer of hypopharynx and removed with forceps. The incised mucosa was left open, but with no bleeding or infection. The TOVS approach was used for removal of a pharyngeal foreign body without a cervical incision. This technique of transoral surgery could potentially be utilized for a variety of cases.