title: Penetrating injury to the pharynx by a toothbrush in a pediatric patient: a case report.
abstract: Penetrating injury of the pharynx is rare, but it can cause serious sequelae in children. A 12-month-old boy was impaled with a toothbrush in the retropharyngeal space after falling from a baby-bed. The point of the toothbrush was embedded beside the carotid artery and was removed by endoscopic surgical technique. The patient was discharged without neurological complication or abscess formation. We present a rare case of a penetrating injury by a toothbrush and discuss such injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Dai-ichi Hospital, 6-2-2 Mitejima, Nishiyodogawa, 555-0012 Osaka, Japan. wplants@mac.com
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: Shigeharu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujieda
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010614:Pharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*