Endoscopic Removal
(Nasal foreign body is anything that gets stuck inside your child’s nose. Children often put small things in their nose and these may get trapped inside the nasal cavity. Some FBs are lodged deep in the nasal cavity causing unilateral foul smelling blood stained discharged. In these cases, foreign body removal may be done under general anesthesia using endoscopic method as seen the video.)
The most common symptom of a foreign body in the nose is nasal discharge. The discharge appears only on the side of the nose with the object and often has a bad odor. In some cases, the child may also have a blood stained discharge.
Foreign bodies can be classified as either inorganic or organic. Inorganic materials are typically plastic or metal. Common examples include beads and small parts from toys. These materials are often asymptomatic and may be discovered incidentally. Organic foreign bodies, including food, rubber, wood, and sponge, tend to be more irritating to the nasal mucosa and thus may produce earlier symptoms.Button batteries, magnets, and living foreign bodies can be particularly destructive.
The most common locations for this to lodge are just anterior to the middle turbinate or below the inferior turbinate Unilateral foreign bodies affect the right side about twice as often as the left. This may be due to a preference of right-handed individuals to insert objects into their right nostril.
Removal of Foreign body in the Nose
Sedating the child is sometimes necessary in order to remove the object successfully. This may have to be performed in the hospital, depending on the extent of the problem and the cooperation of the child. The following are some of the techniques that may be used by your child’s physician to remove the object from the nose:
and suction machines with tubes attached
and instruments may be inserted in the ear like hooks, probes,small forceps or even foleys catheter.
After removal of the object, your doctor may prescribe nose drops or antibiotic ointments to treat any possible infections.
(Posterior dislodgement may occur. Although not often reported, this carries a theoretical risk of aspiration particularly in a sedated patient. Here a combined nasal and throat examination is being performed to remove an impacted and infected foreign body in the right nostril of a 3 year old child.This is done under general anesthesia.)
