Author(s)

Antonin Wilson Ndjitoyap Ndam^1,2*, Akhenaton Ngock Dime¹, Servais Albert Fiacre Bagnaka Eloumou³, Tangie Ngek Larry¹, Pierre Mathurin Kowo¹, Paul Talla², Isabelle Dang Timba^2,4, Bougha Georges⁵, Michèle Tagni-Sartre⁴, Firmin Ankouane Andoulo¹, Elie Claude Ndjitoyap Ndam¹

¹Department of Internal Medicine and Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
²Hepatogastroenterology Unit, General Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
³Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medecine and Pharmaceutic Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.
⁴Hepatogastroenterology Unit, Cathedral Medical Center, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
⁵Hepatogastroenterology Unit, Jourdain Medical Center, Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Background/Aims: Foreign body (FB) ingestion is a common clinical situation. In some cases, it could be life-threatening, requiring interventional digestive endoscopy. Knowing the main FBs observed could help to prevent their ingestion or to improve management. The aim of this study is to report the results of upper digestive endoscopies performed for ingestion of FBs in Yaoundé (Cameroon). Methods: We recorded all patients who did a gastroscopy for FB ingestion from January 2000 to April 2020 in three medical centers of Yaoundé. We collected data concerning the socio-demographic characteristics of patients, foreign body type, endoscopic management and outcome. Results: A total of 9380 upper digestive endoscopies were performed, with 51 FBs ingestion (0.54%). Male were 27 (52.9%). The mean age was 25.8 ± 22.3 years (8 months to 75 years). Coins were the most frequent FB (23.5%), only observed in children, followed by fishbones (17.6%), only observed in adults. We also observed dental wears (11.8%), metallic objects (11.8%), non-metallic objects (3.9%), batteries (3.9%), toothpick (2%), packet of tablets (2%), and bezoars (2%). The FB was unknown at 21.6%. The most frequent localization was the esophagus in 29/36 patients (80.5%). Endoscopic removal was a success in 35/36 patients (97.2%). A surgery has been performed on one patient. We didn’t register any death. Conclusion: Most common FBs ingested in Yaoundé are coins and fishbones. The upper digestive endoscopy has a high success rate.

Endoscopic Management, Foreign Bodies, Upper Gastrointestinal Tract, Yaoundé

Ndam, A. , Dime, A. , Eloumou, S. , Larry, T. , Kowo, P. , Talla, P. , Timba, I. , Georges, B. , Tagni-Sartre, M. , Andoulo, F. and Ndam, E. (2020) Endoscopic Management of Foreign Bodies in the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract in Yaoundé (Cameroon). Open Journal of Gastroenterology, 10, 247-255. doi: 10.4236/ojgas.2020.1010024.