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Good effort. Just to add that the cricopharyngeal muscle at the level of C6 is also the cricopharyngeal sphincter that guards the entry into the oesophagus; in other words, both C6 and that sphincter / muscle also mark the beginning of the oesophagus.
In some cases of foreign body impaction at that level, the interventionist may choose to push the foreign body thro the sphincter into the oesophagus if, in his judgement, less harm will be so incurred than an attempt at retrograde retraction. The risk of respiratory complications from a pharyngeal object is less when dislodged antegradely into the gut where its retrieval can be less hazardous or, in suitable cases, can be spontaneously passed out anorectally.
Re: Radiograph showing the soft tissues of the neck: lateral view
Good effort. Just to add that the cricopharyngeal muscle at the level of C6 is also the cricopharyngeal sphincter that guards the entry into the oesophagus; in other words, both C6 and that sphincter / muscle also mark the beginning of the oesophagus.
In some cases of foreign body impaction at that level, the interventionist may choose to push the foreign body thro the sphincter into the oesophagus if, in his judgement, less harm will be so incurred than an attempt at retrograde retraction. The risk of respiratory complications from a pharyngeal object is less when dislodged antegradely into the gut where its retrieval can be less hazardous or, in suitable cases, can be spontaneously passed out anorectally.
Competing interests: No competing interests