title: Hazardous complications of animate foreign bodies in otology practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Animate foreign bodies in the ear are frequent occurrences in otology practice. Such foreign bodies may lead to hazardous complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper describes a retrospective study of six patients with a recent history of an insect in the ear who presented with various complications following intervention received elsewhere.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An insect was retrieved from the external auditory canal in four cases and from the antrum in two cases. The patients presented with progressive otological complications: two patients who presented with orbital apex syndrome and cavernous sinus thrombosis succumbed to the disease; three patients suffered sensorineural hearing loss; and two patients had persistent facial palsy. One patient with sigmoid sinus thrombosis, who presented early, experienced complete recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Insects in the ear can lead to hazardous complications. Animate foreign bodies should preferably be managed by a trained otologist, even in an emergency setting. Patients with delayed presentation and complications have a guarded prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery,All India Institute of Medical Sciences,New Delhi,India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sikka
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery,All India Institute of Medical Sciences,New Delhi,India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery,All India Institute of Medical Sciences,New Delhi,India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Devraja
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery,Seth GS Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital,Mumbai,India.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Lodha
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery,All India Institute of Medical Sciences,New Delhi,India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thakar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000293:injuries*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007313:Insecta; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Complications; Foreign Bodies; Insects; Mastoiditis