Case report

Iatrogenic insertion of impression mould into middle ear and mastoid and its retrieval after 9 years: a case report

Mohammad Sohail Awan , Moghira Iqbal and Zakariya Imam Sardar

Section of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan

author email corresponding author email

Journal of Medical Case Reports 2007, 1:3doi:10.1186/1752-1947-1-3

Published:	2 February 2007

Abstract

The magnitude of hearing loss in Pakistan is enormous. One in twelve children of Pakistan suffers from some form of hearing impairment. Many of them are unable to afford surgical procedures and resort to the use of cheap hearing aids fitted by untrained individuals or people lacking the required expertise. This predisposes the patients to significant complications during a process that is otherwise considered safe.

We report the case of a child, where the process of making the mould for a hearing aid led to the perforation of the tympanic membrane and pouring of mould material into the middle ear, necessitating surgical intervention. During initial surgery it was thought that all mould had been removed from the middle ear but 9 years later this child underwent cochlear implantation at the same center and remaining part of ear mould was discovered from mastoid cavity.