The Metal Penetrating Trauma of Soft Palate in an Adult

Abstract

Introduction: Impalement injuries of the soft palate and oropharynx are common. The treatment protocols in such cases vary according to the patient and foreign body. A thorough medical history, followed by careful clinical and radiographic examinations, is necessary in management of penetrating injuries.Case Report: A 20-year-old male patient was admitted to our clinic due to a penetrating injury after a fall onto an iron wire. One end of the iron wire was hanging out of his mouth. The other end of the iron wire had traumatized the oropharynx at the level of the lateral pillar soft palate. Computed tomography angiography showed the wire adjacent to the internal carotid artery (ICA). FB was extracted through oral approaches under general anesthesia. Conclusion: We report a case of a penetrating FB that injured the soft palate and extended laterally into the ICA. In addition, in this report, the importance of a thorough investigation for FBs is also emphasized

Keywords

• Soft palate, penetrating injury, adult, internal carotid artery

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