Question

Correct statement regarding esophageal FB (foreign body).

• A. Right main bronchus is one of the site of constriction
• B. Most common site of impaction is cricopharyngeus
• C. Commonly seen in adults
• D. Cant cause mediastinitis

Hint:

The narrowest part of the gut is the cricopharyngeus, so it is the commonest oesophageal FB site; remember the constriction is the LEFT (not right) main bronchus.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Recall oesophageal anatomy. The oesophagus has THREE normal anatomical constrictions where a swallowed foreign body (FB) tends to lodge: (1) the cricopharyngeus / upper oesophageal sphincter (~C6, about 15 cm from the incisors — the narrowest point), (2) where the aortic arch and left main bronchus cross/indent it (~25 cm), and (3) the lower oesophageal sphincter at the diaphragmatic hiatus (~40 cm).

Step 2: Why option B is correct. Because the cricopharyngeus is the narrowest part of the entire GI tract, it is the most common site of oesophageal FB impaction. This statement is correct.

Step 3: Why the distractors are wrong. (A) The constriction is caused by the LEFT main bronchus (and the aortic arch), not the right; moreover the bronchus relates to the oesophagus extrinsically — "right main bronchus is a site of constriction" is incorrect anatomy. (Note: for airway/inhaled foreign bodies it is the right main bronchus that is favoured, but the question is about the oesophagus.) (C) Oesophageal FB impaction is most common in children (coins, small objects), not adults, so "commonly seen in adults" is wrong. (D) A sharp or impacted oesophageal FB can perforate the wall and cause mediastinitis — a feared, life-threatening complication — so "can't cause mediastinitis" is false.

Final Answer: Option B — Most common site of impaction is cricopharyngeus.