Retropharyngeal Abscess in a Young Child Due to Ingestion of Eel Vertebrae

Foreign body ingestion was immediately suspected at the emergency department when a 14-month-old boy presented with fever, refusal to eat, and history of choking after consumption of congee with minced fish meat the day before. Two eel vertebrae were subsequently retrieved from the piriform fossa. This case is reported to discuss the importance of obtaining the relevant history of foreign body ingestion and high index of suspicion in very young children. Parents must be educated about the risk of feeding infant and young children with bone-containing foods.