Buried oropharyngeal metal mesh foreign bodies in an infant

Abstract

Airway foreign bodies are a medical emergency in children, as airway obstruction results in immediate respiratory distress. Common ingested foreign bodies differ among children from different social backgrounds, and metal foreign bodies, such as pins, coins, and dental appliances, are widely reported. Herein, we present the first case of a broken metal mesh foreign body ingested by an infant. An 11-month-old boy was found to be licking and biting the mesh cover of an electric lint remover. Part of the broken mesh was found in his mouth, but his mother could not remove it. The patient was referred to our hospital that same day. Although flexible laryngoscopy revealed no foreign bodies in the upper airway, computed tomography scan revealed high density foreign bodies in the left oropharynx. Two pieces of metal mesh that were buried in the left tonsillar fossa were removed under general anesthesia. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged the following day. This case suggests that thin metal mesh may be broken by infants with erupting deciduous teeth and become a pharyngeal foreign body.

Keywords

• Metal mesh
• Foreign body
• Oropharynx
• Children