In patients with oesophageal disease who have difficulty swallowing, there is a greater chance of food getting stuck in the throat rather than fish spikes.
However, such patients who are unable to sensitively separate the spike from the fish in the mouth may develop a fish spike in the throat, so patients with oesophageal disease or reduced chewing function are advised to try to remove the fish bones on a plate or by a carer before eating the fish, or before cooking, to avoid a fish spike in the throat.