Foreign bodies in the ears causing complications and requiring hospitalization in children 0-14 age: Results from the ESFBI study

OBJECTIVE: The occurrence of foreign bodies (FBs) in otorhinolaryngological practice is a common and serious problem among patients in paediatric age. The aim of this work is to characterize the risk of complications and prolonged hospitalization due to foreign bodies in ears in terms of the characteristics of the injured patients (age, gender), typology and features of the foreign bodies, the circumstances of the accident and the hospitalization's details. METHODS: A retrospective study in major hospitals of 19 European countries was realized on children aged 0-14 with regard to the characteristics of the injured child and the FB, the circumstances of the accident and finally the hospitalization's details. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety eight cases were reported with an injury due to insertion of a FB in the ear (ICD931). Complications were observed in 65 (13.05%) children. Complications were lesion of auricular canal, perforation of tympanic membrane, local inflammation, bleeding, pain and otitis. Hospitalization lasted in median 1 day. The 82% of hospitalized children are in the "day hospital" regimen. The spherical, rigid and inorganic FB caused hospitalization in 61%, 63% and 84% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: Foreign body injuries in the ears are commonly encountered in clinical practice. The removal by non-ENT personnel can be associated to complications especially in children who have a variable level of cooperation. Occasions for the injury were mostly playing in the absence of watchful caregivers. Since prevention is the most essential way to deal with FB injuries public education should be encouraged.