Foreign Bodies in the Ear and Nose; A Statistical Review

Abstract

Foreign bodies in the ear and nose are commonly found by otorhinolaryngologists. A statistical review was made of 99 patients with foreign bodies in the ear and 73 patients with foreign bodies in the nose, treated at the Maeda ENT Hospital between June 1, 1988 and May 31, 1991. 1. The patients with foreign bodies in the ear showed a wide age range, but most of those with foreign bodies in the nose were children. 2. Foreign bodies in the ear were seen more often in summer because of insects, but foreign bodies in the nose showed no seasonal differences. 3. The most frequent foreign bodies in the ear were insects (37.4%), followed by toy parts (26.3%) and cotton (8.1%). 4. The most frequent foreign bodies in the nose were toy parts (43.8%), followed by food (23.3%) and paper (15.1%). © 1992, The Society of Practical Otolaryngology. All rights reserved.