ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine whether any relationship exists between foreign body in the external acoustic meatus and undiagnosed ear disorders in children.

In this prospectively designed case-control study, 46 sequential children with foreign body in the external acoustic meatus comprised the study group and 46 children without ear, nose, and throat complaints comprised the control group. Children in both groups underwent tympanometry after the removal of the foreign body. Data included age, sex, the side of the ear with the foreign body, the type of the foreign body, the duration of the presence of the foreign body, details of the removal of the foreign body, and tympanogram type.

Fifteen (32.6%) children in the study group had type A tympanogram, 7 (15.2%) had type C1, 9 (19.6%) had type C2, and 15 (32.6%) had type B. In contrast, 34 (73.9%) children in the control group had type A tympanogram, 5 (10.9%) had type C1, 3 (6.5%) had type C2, and 4 (8.7%) had type B. The percentage of children with type B tympanogram was significantly higher (p=0.005) in the study group and that of children with type A tympanogramwas significantly higher (p<0.001) in the control group.

Clinical and statistical evidences suggest that Eustachian tube dysfunction and serous otitis media cause irritation in children’s ears, prompting them to insert something in their ears to ease the irritation. We suggest that all children with foreign body in the external acoustic meatus should be examined by an otologist to prevent delay in diagnosing middle ear disorders. The presence of foreign body in the external acoustic meatus may point to an ear in children and, therefore, should not be ignored.

Keywords: Ear canal, foreign body, otitis media with effusion, eustachian tube, timpanometri, acoustic impedance tests