eMJA: A bitter pill to swallow

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A bitter pill to swallow

Peter A Monksfield, Olivia JH Whiteside, Stuart CA Winter, Nicholas B Steventon and Graham J Cox

MJA 2003 178 (4): 189

An elderly patient with diabetes presented with oesophageal obstruction after taking a regular dose of metformin. A lateral neck radiograph confirmed the presence of an obstruction in the upper oesophagus. The patient underwent rigid oesophagoscopy, at which time the tablet, complete with packaging, was removed (see Box). The patient went on to make a full recovery.

(Received 18 Dec 2002, accepted 23 Dec 2002)

Department of Otolaryngology, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, OX2 6HE, UK.

Peter A Monksfield, MRCS, Senior House Officer; Olivia JH Whiteside, MRCS, Senior House Officer; Stuart CA Winter, MRCS, Registrar; Nicholas B Steventon, FRCS, Clinical Lecturer; Graham J Cox, BDS FRCS, Consultant Surgeon.

Correspondence: Mr Peter A Monksfield, Department of Otolaryngology, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, OX2 6HE, UK. pmonksfieldATtalk21.com

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