A chopstick snapped in two: A serious pediatric transoral impalement injury requiring external approach (open neck) operative intervention

Abstract

This case report presents a 27-month old child with an oral cavity impalement injury with a retained foreign body and potential great vessel injury. Whilst these oropharyngeal injuries are not uncommon in these subset of patients, most are managed conservatively with minimal injury of the puncture site. This unusual case describes a patient with a retained snapped wooden chopstick through the oral cavity into the parapharyngeal space and adjacent to skull base. Potential external carotid artery and internal jugular vein injury were also identified on imaging. A management algorithm for these potentially catastrophic injuries has been provided.

Keywords

• Impalement injury
• Oropharyngeal foreign body
• Oral cavity injury
• Neck foreign body