Migratory foreign body in the neck
Aranjit Singh Randhawa1,2, Anusha Balasubramaniam3, Philip Rajan3, Irfan Mohamad2
Ingestion of foreign body is a very common reason for referral in otolaryngology practice. In most cases, it is removed in the clinic setting or under general anaesthesia. However, migratory foreign body in the throat is rare and can cause serious complications depending on the route of migration. We present a case of a migratory fish bone, which was found embedded in the right scalene muscle and was successfully removed through an external approach. The aim of this case report is to highlight the importance of a thorough history and physical examination in a patient with a foreign body in the throat, especially if the patient is still symptomatic and laryngo-oesophagoscopy findings are unremarkable. Imaging is vital to aid in the diagnosis and precisely locating the migrated foreign body eventually to avoid fatal complications.