Fragments of nasogastric tubes as esophageal foreign bodies in two horses.

This study involves two cases of horses that ingested fragments of nasogastric tubes and explores the diagnostic processes and methods used to retrieve the fragments.

Introduction

In this study, two cases of horses with esophageal foreign bodies were reported. The foreign bodies in question were fragments of nasogastric tubes that the horses had ingested accidentally.

Diagnosis

• The diagnostic process involved the use of radiography and endoscopy. These tools helped the veterinarians to locate the position of the nasogastric tube fragments inside the esophagus of the horses.
• Radiography is a technique often used in veterinary medicine to visualize the internal structures of animals in a non-invasive manner. In these cases, radiographs were presumably used to confirm the presence and identify the location of the foreign bodies.
• Endoscopy, another diagnostic tool, involves inserting a flexible tube with a light and camera on the end, into the body to observe internal structures in real time. This likely provided a direct visual confirmation of the foreign bodies inside the horses’ esophagi.

Retrieval of Foreign Bodies

• In one horse, the foreign body was retrieved through a surgical procedure known as esophagotomy. This process involves making an incision into the esophagus to remove the foreign body.
• In the other horse, a manual examination of the oral cavity was performed to retrieve the foreign body. This suggests that the fragment was close to the start of the esophagus and could be reached without resorting to surgery.

Foreign Body Characteristics

• Both of the retrieved nasogastric tubes were found to be friable, or easily crumbled, in some areas. However, the majority of the length of the tubes was quite pliable or flexible.
• This property could have influenced the behavior of the fragments within the horses’ bodies, potentially making them harder to locate or retrieve and also impacting the degree of discomfort or harm caused to the horses.