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[Foreign bodies in the ear; report of 40 cases]
M Dubois1, M François, R Hamrioui
1Service ORL, hôpital Robert-Debré, Paris, France.
Insights
Foreign bodies in children's ear canals are common, with pearls and cockroaches being frequent culprits. While often benign, complications like infections and lacerations can occur, requiring prompt management.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
Context:
- Foreign bodies in the external ear canal are a common pediatric presentation.
- While typically benign, complications such as infection can arise.
Purpose:
- To review the management of foreign bodies in the pediatric external ear canal.
- To discuss extraction methods and complication management.
Summary:
- A study of 35 children treated for ear canal foreign bodies between January 1996 and March 1997.
- Common foreign bodies included pearls and cockroaches.
- Eleven children experienced complications, including ear canal laceration, otitis externa, cervical adenitis, and tympanic membrane perforation.
Impact:
- Highlights the potential for complications in pediatric ear canal foreign bodies.
- Informs clinical practice regarding extraction and management strategies.
- Emphasizes the need for vigilance in pediatric ear foreign body cases.
Background:
Foreign bodies in the external ear canal present a frequent situation in pediatric practice. It is generally benign, but infectious complications may occur.
Population:
Between January 1996 and March 1997, 35 children with a foreign body in the ear canal were treated in the ENT department of Robert-Debré hospital.
Results:
Age ranged from 15 months to 14 years, with a mean of 6.5 years. The sex ratio was 1.2 (19 boys/16 girls). Five children had bilateral foreign bodies. The most frequent foreign bodies were pearls (8/40) and cockroaches (7/40). Eleven children had complications: ear canal laceration in five cases, otitis externa in five cases, cervical adenitis in three cases, general septic syndrome with fever in one case, and drum perforation in one case.
Conclusion:
The methods of extraction and the management of the complications are discussed.