Transoral endoscopic approach to upper cervical spine migrated foreign bodies

Migrated ingested foreign bodies in the aerodigestive tract can lodge within vital organs and vessels, causing potentially devastating complications. It is often difficult to localise these foreign bodies, with extrication resulting in the requirement for open approaches which may cause significant morbidity. This paper presents the case of an ingested migrated stingray bone lodged adjacent to the vertebral artery in the upper cervical spine. This was managed via an endoscopic transoral approach, with the assistance of an image-guidance system. Successful extraction of the foreign body was achieved, with minimal residual morbidity. Our study showed that image-guided endoscopic surgery is a safe, precise and feasible option for the localisation and removal of migrated foreign bodies in the aerodigestive tract involving critical neurovascular structures.