Tormenting Duck Bone in Throat- A Case Report

Abstract

Foreign bodies in throat is a very common entity encountered in otolaryngology practice. Out of these most common foreign bodies in adults include fish bone, mutton bone, piece of meat. Present case was the first in literature to present with duck bone stuck in throat. A 30-year-old female presented to the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Outpatient Department (OPD) with history of duck meat ingestion and complaints of foreign body sensation in throat and odynophagia for a period of three days. Video laryngoscopy revealed the presence of a foreign body at the level of laryngeal inlet, just above the right vocal cord, adherent to the anterior commissure. After obtaining anaesthesia fitness on the same day, direct laryngoscopy under general anaesthesia was performed. The foreign body was visualised, found to be more adherent near the anterior commissure and was removed using microlaryngeal forceps. The patient significantly improved and was discharged. All patients who present to the Otorhinolaryngology OPD with complaints of swallowing a foreign body/bone or experiencing a foreign body sensation in the throat should be taken seriously. A lateral radiograph of the neck soft tissue may sometimes not reveal the foreign body. A video laryngoscopy examination should be done to confirm the presence and assess the site of impaction of foreign body.

Keywords

• cricoid
• foreign body
• larynx
• odynophagia