Bulimia and oesophageal foreign bodies

Abstract

Objectives:

To demonstrate the importance of a detailed history when assessing patients with a repeated pattern of foreign body ingestion.

Case report:

A 19-year-old woman presented to our department following accidental ingestion of a teaspoon. On further questioning, she admitted to a habit of binge-eating followed by self-induced vomiting, in order to avoid weight gain; she blamed this behaviour on a stressful relationship with her partner. She also had one previous episode of accidental ingestion of a plastic spoon, which had been removed by oesophagogastroduodenoscopy. The patient underwent an uneventful rigid oesophagoscopy and foreign body removal. During post-operative recovery, she admitted that she had suffered for years with bulimia and anorexia nervosa. She was discharged home after appropriate psychiatric counselling, and follow up was arranged.

Conclusions:

Oesophageal foreign bodies are commonly encountered in otolaryngology practice. Such circumstances are often compounded by pre-existing psychiatric problems such as bulimia and/or anorexia nervosa. Patients with bulimia may often present with a very similar pattern of multiple episodes of ingestion of large foreign bodies. Identification of this eating disorder (especially when there is a recurrent history of large, accidentally ingested foreign bodies) and prompt psychiatric referral is essential for efficient long-term management of this condition.