Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2019

College/Unit

School of Medicine

Department/Program/Center

Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives. Foreign bodies of the external and middle ear are not uncommon; however, foreign bodies in the eustachian tube are rare. Here we describe the presentation, imaging, and endoscopic-assisted surgical management of a case of eustachian tube foreign body. Methods. A 34-year-old male was seen for evaluation of foreign body of the left eustachian tube while working with metal at a machine shop. Imaging and surgical management are highlighted and review of available literature regarding foreign bodies of the eustachian tube is presented. Results. A CT scan revealed a foreign body present approximately 1 cm into the bony eustachian tube. The patient underwent middle ear exploration which required endoscopic assistance to adequately visualize the foreign body. The foreign body was unable to be removed and required the creation of a bony tunnel lateral to the eustachian tube for visualization and access to the foreign body. Conclusions. This report presents a rare case of eustachian tube foreign body. Use of the endoscope during the surgical removal greatly enhanced the ease and safety of removal. This report also highlights the importance of ear protection with any machining and welding work.

Source Citation

Purnell, P. R., Bender-Heine, A., Zalzal, H., Tarabishy, A. R., & Cassis, A. (2019). Eustachian Tube Foreign Body with Endoscopic-Assisted Surgical Removal. Case Reports in Otolaryngology, 2019, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5236429

Comments

Copyright © 2019 Phillip R. Purnell et al. *is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.