To summarize the clinical characteristics of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract and analyze its risk factors for complications. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the medical data of the patients who were diagnosed of foreign body impaction in the upper gastrointestinal tract, then analyzed its risk factors of complications. Results The date pits were the most common type of foreign bodies and upper esophagus were the most common locations in upper gastrointestinal tract; In Logistic regression analysis, risk factors for complications were the duration of impaction that longer than 12 hours (OR = 9.04, 95%CI: 2.91 ~ 28.04; P = 0.000) and the sharpness of foreign bodies’ edge (OR = 7.95, 95% CI: 2.09 ~ 30.21; P = 0.002). Conclusion The duration of impaction that longer than 12h and sharpness of foreign bodies’ edge are the risk factors for complications.