Clinical profile and management outcome of impacted aural foreign bodies in children in Southwestern Nigeria: A prospective study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Children commonly present with impacted aural foreign bodies (FBs) to the otolaryngology clinics globally. Their mode of presentation and method of the FB removal depends on the nature of the FB. Methods: To prospectively study the types of impacted aural FBs in children, their mode of presentation, and their different methods of removal in otolaryngology clinics in three tiers of hospitals in Lagos state. Results: One hundred and sixty children aged 8 months to 11 years were studied. One hundred and fifty-one had unilateral, whereas 9 had bilateral impactions. There were 102 (63.7%) males, and 58 (36.3%) females. One hundred seven (66.9%) patients were between 2 and 5 years old. Fifty-five (34.4%) patients were recruited from the private ENT clinic, 51 (31.9%) from Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, and 54 (33.8%) from Lagos University Teaching Hospital for the study. Fifty-two (32.5%) of the cases of impaction were self-reported, 54 (33.75%) were discovered incidentally, and 54 (33.75%) presented with otologic symptoms consisting mainly of otalgia 24 (15.0%) and ear blockage 17 (10.6%). The most common FB was bead 57 (35.6%). Impaction was more in the right ear. The FBs were successfully removed in 148 (92.5%) subjects in the clinic using a Jobson-Horne probe to scoop out the hard, rounded FBs or otologic alligator forceps and micro-cup forceps to grasp the soft FBs. Irrigation was used mainly for dis-impaction. Complications were noted in 6 (3.75%) subjects. Conclusion: Aural FBs predominate in children < 5 years old, males, and in the right ear. As in the literature, successful removal of impacted aural FB in the clinic under direct vision was achieved with few complications.