A Rare Case Report of Impacted Foreign Body (Sewing Needle) in Upper Neck.

THE RATIONALE

A 19-year-old female presented to the Otorhinolaryngology Department.

PATIENT CONCERNS

Pain over the right side of the neck below the angle of the mandible following a fall on a pin cushion after a fight with her brother. She reported that the wound might have been caused by a sewing needle lodged in the pin cushion.

DIAGNOSIS

X-ray soft-tissue neck lateral view revealed a radiopaque linear shadow on the right side of the neck at the level of the C1-C2 vertebrae. On contrast-enhanced computed tomography, a linear (needle-like) foreign body at the level of C1-C2 was approximately 1.6 cm deep from the skin. The internal jugular vein seemed to be compressed between the needle and vertebrae.

TREATMENT

Foreign body was explored and removed under general anaesthesia by an open lateral cervical approach.

OUTCOMES

The patient's postoperative recovery was uneventful.

TAKE-AWAY LESSON: Due to early diagnosis, management, and a team of experienced surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and support staff, any morbidity or mortality was avoided.