Citation

Jones TM, Luke LC. J. Accid. Emerg. Med. 1998; 15(5): 332-333.

Affiliation

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9785163

PMCID

PMC1343177

Abstract

The ingestion of unusual objects is not uncommon in florid mental illness. Less common is the accidental ingestion of a foreign body which has been used to induce vomiting. A case is reported of complete dysphagia that resulted from impaction of a plastic fork in the hypopharynx. The patient had been attempting to induce vomiting and, as a result of the presentation, was found to be suffering from a previously concealed eating disorder (bulimia). Self induced vomiting is one criterion for the diagnosis of bulimia and a review of the literature indicates that accidental ingestion of large foreign bodies is an increasingly familiar hazard of occult bulimia.

Language: en