Migrated fish bone into the neck: a case report

BACKGROUND: Impaction of foreign body is a common condition presented to ear, nose, and throat department among Asian population. The commonest foreign body seen among this population has been documented as fish bone. Fish bone can migrate to lateral neck space or related organs around the neck and chest. By presenting this case report, we aim to emphasize the importance of taking proper history and make clinicians aware of the possibility of a fish bone migrating into different spaces. This will help to prevent diagnosis delay leading to complications due to migrated fish bone. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50-year-old female Sinhalese patient presented to ear, nose, and throat department with right-sided neck pain for 2 days, who had a history of suspected fish bone impaction a few days ago that subsided without any investigations or treatments. She did not have any symptoms related to throat, and neck examination showed mild swelling and tenderness. Computer tomography revealed a migrated fish bone into the lateral neck close to carotid artery, and the fish bone was removed by neck exploration under general anesthesia without any complications. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, migrated fish bone should be suspected if patient is having persistent symptoms mainly in the neck without having difficulty swallowing and who gives a history of fish bone impaction and having negative laryngoscopic examination. Proper history taking is very important in the assessment of these patients to prevent misdiagnosis of the condition. Clinicians should aware that migrated fish bones are not uncommon and that early suspicion can prevent later diagnosis and complications.