Ear Foreign Body Removal

Excerpt

The external auditory canal (EAC) is the most common location to encounter a foreign body, particularly in children, accounting for 44% of cases, with nasal, pharyngeal, esophageal, and laryngobronchial locations representing 25%, 23%, 5%, and 2% of cases, respectively. Pharyngeal foreign bodies are most common in the adult population, however, making up 17% of cases. Many physicians who work in acute care settings, especially those who see pediatric patients, will encounter foreign bodies in the external auditory canal. Depending on the specialty and location of practice, some doctors will encounter this condition more frequently. This article aims to provide physicians with an understanding of the scope of the problem as well as information regarding methods for managing a foreign body in the external auditory canal.

While more common in pediatric patients, adults may also present with EAC foreign bodies, ranging from insects to hearing aid pieces and cotton balls. The most commonly removed foreign bodies include beads (most common), paper or tissue paper, and popcorn kernels. These combine to account for just over half of the foreign bodies removed in one study. There may also be a slight male predominance, but not all authors agree on this point. Certain types of foreign bodies, such as button batteries, do require emergent removal. However, for most inorganic objects, removal from the EAC is not emergent, although, in cases of prolonged retention of foreign bodies, significant edema of the EAC may render removal more challenging and painful.