Related Experiment Videos
Treatment of aural foreign bodies in children
1Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Insights
Proper treatment for pediatric external auditory canal foreign bodies involves immobilization and instrumentation. General anesthesia is recommended for younger children or complex cases to ensure safe removal.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Foreign bodies in the external auditory canal (EAC) are common in children.
- Management strategies vary, necessitating clear guidelines for pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define optimal treatment protocols for pediatric EAC foreign bodies.
- To outline criteria for specialist referral and operative intervention.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series analysis.
- Inclusion of patients under 18 presenting with EAC foreign bodies over a 5-year period.
- Data collected from a specialty care referral hospital.
Main Results:
- 191 pediatric patients with EAC foreign bodies were identified.
- Common objects included pebbles, beads, insects, and toys; 74% were under 8 years old.
- 30% of patients required surgical removal under general anesthesia.
Conclusions:
- Many pediatric EAC foreign bodies can be removed with proper technique and immobilization.
- General anesthesia is advised for very young children and complex cases.
- Guidelines for otolaryngologic referral and microscopic removal are established.
Objective:
To determine the proper treatment of children and adolescents with foreign bodies of the external auditory canal (EAC).
Design:
Retrospective case series.
Setting:
Specialty care referral hospital.
Patients:
All patients younger than 18 years of age who presented in the emergency ward or office setting with a foreign body of the EAC during a 5-year period.
Results:
One hundred ninety-one patients with aural foreign bodies were identified. Age at presentation ranged from 10 months to 17 years with 141 patients (74%) younger than 8 years old. Twenty-seven different objects were encountered with pebbles, beads, insects, and plastic toys the most common. Fifty-seven (30%) of the patients required surgical removal of the aural foreign body under general anesthesia.
Conclusion:
Adequate immobilization and proper instrumentation allow the uncomplicated removal of many EAC foreign bodies in the pediatric population. The use of general anesthesia is preferred in very young children and in children of any age with aural foreign bodies whose contour, composition, or location predispose to traumatic removal in the ambulatory setting. Criteria for otolaryngologic referral and consideration of operative microscopic removal are outlined.