Successful Use of Haloperidol for Persistent Hiccups Unresponsive to Baclofen After Esophageal Stenting

Background: Hiccups are common and typically self-limiting condition but can become persistent or intractable in certain conditions. Hiccups commonly occur due to rapid gastric distension, which is often triggered by quickly eating a large meal or consuming carbonated drinks. Other contributing factors include alcohol intake, spicy foods, smoking, and various irritants affecting the gastrointestinal or respiratory systems. Oesophageal stenting is a recognized, though rare, cause of persistent hiccups, usually managed effectively with baclofen. Case Presentation: We report a case of a 64-year-old man with a refractory corrosive oesophageal stricture who developed persistent hiccups following placement of a fully covered self-expandable metallic stent (fcSEMS) for oesophageal stricture management. Despite treatment with proton pump inhibitors, prokinetics, baclofen, and chlorpromazine, his symptoms persisted. Initiation of oral haloperidol (1 mg three times daily) led to rapid and complete resolution of hiccups within 36 hours, with no recurrence. Haloperidol continued for two weeks, then gradually tapered over the following two weeks before being discontinued. The stent was removed after four weeks, revealing successful stricture dilatation. Conclusion: Haloperidol may be considered as a therapeutic option for managing persistent hiccups induced by oesophageal stenting when baclofen fails. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of successful haloperidol use in such a scenario.