Unusual Foreign Body in The Ear Canal: Sea Snail

For the first time in my career, I remove a snail out of the outer ear canal!

Ear, nose and throat examination of a patient who presented with itching complaints in the ear revealed a snail-like foreign body in the left external auditory canal. My patient, who recently returned from vacation, said that he had been swimming in a different country for a long time. Normally, hairs and nerve endings in the outer ear canal play an important role in the detection of the foreign body in case foreign bodies enter. So it's harder for insects to get into dirty, hairy ears.

The healthy protective earwax layer normally found in the outer ear can not only serve as a barrier to viruses, bacteria or fungal infections in the outer ear; wherein ensures that an environment in which the insects dislike because of the alcohol derived materials. You can read about "earwax" more detailed informaion at >> A Miraculous Body Secretion: Earwax (Cerumen)

In the video, the snail remains sticking to the dirt layer in the outer ear canal. There could be a sea snail here and it wasn't alive. It may be of the sub-group "Slimy Snail". There were tens of thousands of snail species (from Wikipedia) It is necessary to consult someone who knows this subject.

Murat Enoz, MD, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgeon - ENT Doctor in Istanbul

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