Citation

Leighton J, Powell J, McLarnon C. BMJ Case Rep. 2021; 14(4): bcr-2021-242350.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bcr-2021-242350

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

A normally fit and well 3-year-old girl awoke distressed. Her parents identified a long hair protruding from her mouth. She was comforted and given some food and drink. Afterwards they could no longer see the hair and she had no ongoing pain or issues initially. Over the subsequent days, she had increasing difficulty swallowing solid foods due to pain on swallowing and the parents later noticed a discolouration of the tip of her uvula. The family attended a walk in centre, the general practitioners and subsequently the children's emergency department 3 days after the initial incident. She was reviewed by the ear, nose and throat team who found that the distal tip of her uvula was white and that a hair could be seen trailing from it inferiorly. History and examination were otherwise unremarkable.

The child remained well and was taken to theatre for examination under general anaesthetic. On examination in theatre, the hair was found to be strangulating the distal uvula and trailing into the oesophagus...

Language: en

Keywords

ear; nose and throat/otolaryngology; paediatrics