Foreign-body in external auditory meatus: evaluation of 462 cases

Abstract

Introduction: Since 1950, a numberless of studies of the foreign-bodies in ears and upper airways were executed. They are usual cases in the emergency rooms and, if they are not rightly addressed, they can bring about several complications as trauma and tympanic membrane perforation, auditory meatus hemorrhagia, hearing loss and otitis. Objective: Establish the age, sex, complications and foreign-bodies' type in external auditory meatus of 462 patients attended in a tertiary hospital. Method: A retrospective study of the cases of ear' foreign-bodies removed by the otorhinolaryngology service of a tertiary hospital in the period of January 1, 1999 to July 31, 2006. Results: The insects were the foreign-bodies more found. The major incidence of foreign-body in an ear was found in the age group above 16 years old and, in the male sex. The complications occurred mostly in the age group below 6 years old. Conclusion: The foreign-body' prevalence in an ear of the adults is high. The complications occur mostly in 0 to 6 years old age group. In our service, the insects are the most frequents and the responsible for the major part of the complications.

Keywords

• Foreign-Bodies
• Ears
• Epidemiology