A Case Report of a Metallic Foreign Body Penetrated into Right Parapharyngeal Space from Left Nasal Cavity

The foreign bodies in the head and neck areas are common, but metallic foreign bodies are relatively rare. Foreign bodies embedded in soft tissue may remain asymptomatic for a very long time, so a patient may not be aware of these foreign bodies. These foreign bodies can cause toxic and allergic reactions, inflammation, or infection, but the severity of these complications varies widely. Removal can be difficult and time consuming, and the potential damage to surrounded tissues caused by the procedure must be weighed against the risk posed by a particular foreign body. We present a rare case of metallic foreign body in parapharyngeal space for twenty years and make recommendations regarding the successful evaluation and management of a such injuries. (J Clinical Otolaryngol 1999;10:264–267)