FOREIGN BODIES IN OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY: A STUDY OF 860 CASES MANAGED IN MEDICAL COLLEGE HOSPITAL.

Background: Foreign bodies (FB) are the commonest emergencies in otorhino-laryngology. The most common incidences are in the nasal cavity, ears and oropharynx. FB in the nose, ears and oropharynx have characteristic symptoms and their removal does not represent a great difficulty to the otorhino-laryngologist unless 2 the FB is in the tracheo-bronchial tree. The FB inoculation may be voluntary or accidental. Design: A retrospective study of 860 cases managed in 57 months period between January 2007 to July 2011. Setting: Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, KVG Medical College, Sullia. Materials and method: 860 cases of foreign bodies were managed successfully in the OPD under topical anaesthesia and also under general anaesthesia. There were 471 males & 389 females in the study, the youngest was 4 year old girl and the oldest was 69 year old female. Result: In our study we managed 860 cases of FBs which included 505 ear cases, 118 nasal cases, 118 pharyngeal cases, 100 esophageal cases and 19 FBs in the trachea, bronchus. 429 cases were managed in the OPD under topical anaesthesia and 431 cases were managed under general anaesthesia. Conclusion: Most of the foreign bodies in the nose and ear can be managed in the outpatients itself. All the foreign bodies of the esophagus and trachea bronchus were managed under general anaesthesia after admission. Complication rates are very low when managed prudently by a trained otorhino-laryngologist.