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Toothbrush: A Report of an Unusual Foreign Body
Mohammad Reza Farahnak1, Somayeh Araghi1, Soheila Nikakhlagh1
1Hearing and Speech Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Introduction:
Ingestion of a foreign body is a common problem among all age groups. Most of the foreign bodies in the pharynx are usually lodged at the level of cricopharynx. The diagnosis is based on history, clinical, and radiological examination. Most foreign-body ingestions are accidental, but there may be contributory factors such as mental disorder, alcoholism, and prison incarceration. Toothbrush ingestion is uncommon and requires prompt medical attention.
Case Report:
In this article, a rare case of a toothbrush foreign body is presented. The ingestion was caused by a seizure and the toothbrush was removed through surgical management.
Conclusion:
An ingested toothbrush will not pass spontaneously. The best management is early endoscopy performed by a skilled surgeon. If this is unsuccessful, surgical management can be performed.
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