Ear Foreign Body Removal

Abstract

Many physicians who work in acute care settings, especially those who see pediatric patients, will encounter patients who have a foreign body (FB) in the external auditory canal (EAC). Depending on specialty and location of practice, some doctors will encounter this condition more frequently. The goal of this section is to give physicians an understanding of the scope of this condition as well as some methods for managing an FB in the external auditory canal. While more common in pediatric patients, adults can also present with FB, most commonly an insect, in the external auditory canal. The most commonly removed FB tends to be beads (most common), paper/tissue paper, and popcorn kernels.[0][2] These combined for just over half of the foreign bodies removed in one study.[2] There may also be a slight male predominance, but not all studies have shown this.[2][3] Certain types of FB, such as button batteries, do require urgent removal. However, for most inorganic objects there does not appear to a significant issue with the length of time the FB has been in the external auditory canal before attempted removal.