Accidental ingestion of plastic from takeaway containers — food for thought

Foreign body oesophageal obstruction is a medical emergency. It may be accidental, particularly in children, or deliberate, for example with suicide attempts. We present two cases illustrating accidental oesophageal foreign body impaction occurring after consumption of food that had been heated in a plastic container in a microwave oven, then cut and eaten directly from the softened container. To date, we are not aware of any similar reports. In view of potential complications, care needs to be taken when food is eaten directly from plastic takeaway containers.