Extraluminal migration of a coin in the oesophagus of a child misdiagnosed as asthma

Ingestion of a foreign body, the commonest being a coin, is a common problem in children. In most cases the coin will pass uneventfully through the gastrointestinal tract. However, on rare occasions it may become lodged in the oesophagus with subsequent extraluminal migration with the potential for serious complications such as vascular fistula or chronic suppurative infection. A case is presented of extraluminal migration of a coin in the oesophageal associated with abscess formation in a 15 month old boy. This case is particularly important because the presenting symptom of wheezing led to the erroneous diagnosis of asthma, which resulted in a three month delay in investigation and treatment. In addition, it raises the issue of whether to perform chest radiography on newly diagnosed asthmatic patients to rule out the presence of a foreign body and thereby prevent serious complications.