Foreign Bodies in the Ear and Nose a True Test of EP Mettle

​Pediatric patients frequently put foreign bodies into their mouths, noses, and ears. The spectrum of foreign bodies that children place into their facial orifices are impressive. Paper, vegetable matter (such as peanuts), toys, beads, metal screws, and Play-Doh are just a few examples.The insertions are often done surreptitiously, only to be discovered days or sometimes weeks later. Occasionally, the retained foreign nasal bodies will ferment and present with a purulent, unilateral nasal drainage, accompanied by an unrelentingly repulsive odor. Sometimes an occasional cockroach wanders into the external auditory canal looking for a dark, moist cavity for sleeping or laying eggs. There appears to be a preference for the right nostrils or right external auditory canal, which correlates with a higher percentage of right-handed children. Classic TechniquesThe classic techniques for removing foreign bodies from the nose and ears include using the following:Alligator forcepsBalloon-tipped cathetersFrazier suction tipsEar curettesNose-blowingBulb syringe Bag-valve-mask Mother's breathTension with ENT Colleagues An ongoing low-grade tension between otolaryngologists and emergency physicians always seems to be brewing about attempts to remove foreign bodies. It is understandable because our ENT colleagues only see our failures and our failures often slightly traumatize our patients and their orifices. If every patient with a foreign body required an otolaryngologist, however, t...
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