Required Instruments
- Otoscope [Figure 80].
- Ear speculum with a tip diameter of 6 mm.
- Hook.
- Nasal speculum.
- Head lamp.
Figure 80
The patients with a foreign object in their auditory meatus or nasal cavity are often children, elderly people, and those with mental disabilities. When the foreign object is stuck in the nasal cavity, the patient may be panicking because breathing is affected. In such cases, the procedure sometimes has to be conducted under a light general anaesthetic in hospital.
Procedure
- The patient sits on a chair with good back support.
- Sit on a height-adjustable stool beside or in front of the patient.
- Your eyes should be at the same height as the patient’s nose.
- Ensure that all required materials are ready for use.
- Put on the head lamp and aim the light onto the patient’s nose.
- Press the tip of the nose slightly upwards and use a nasal speculum to spread open the nostril in which the foreign object is located.
- Hold this with your non-dominant hand [Figure 83].
- The light of the head lamp should now shine into the nose.
Figure 83
- With your dominant hand, slide the hook, with the opened part in the horizontal position, carefully through the nasal speculum into the nose [Figure 84].
Figure 84
- When you have positioned it underneath the foreign object, carefully try to turn it. If this is not successful, carefully move marginally further into the nose and try again.
- Once you are able to turn the hook vertically, carefully pull it out of the nose and thereby remove the foreign object.
- Subsequently, inspect the nose by means of anterior rhinoscopy to see if there is any damage.
