What do Head and Neck Surgery and Orthopedics have in Common? An Unusual Case of Metallic Foreign Body

Abstract

Introduction: Foreign bodies in ear, nose, throat or neck are common otolaryngologic emergencies. Removal of foreign bodies from the neck usually needs surgery. Reports of foreign bodies in the neck are caused by extraluminal migration of the foreign bodies from the upper aerodigestive tract, external traumas or iatrogenic factors.In the present report; we describe an unusual foreign body: "a Schanz screw" in the neck due to ortopedic surgery performed for traumatic fragmental clavicle fracture. Case report: 51-year-old male patient who was wounded in a car crash presented to an orthopedics clinic with a right fragmental clavicle fracture. There were no pathological findings in other system examinations. He had undergone surgery where his right clavicle had been fixated with a Schanz screw. After 3 months later the x-ray showed that the screw fixed the right clavicle had been displaced to the paravertebral space. Extraction was successful by unscrewing the screw along the direction of the skin of the shoulder with no immediate squeal. Conclusion: This case is not only informative for the orthopaedists performing surgery for clavicle fractures but also highlights the importance of imaging and planning external approach for otorhinolaryngologists, considering extracting a metallic foreign body deep in the soft tissue of the neck.