An unusual foreign body in the ear. A case report
Tarasov A.A., Tikhonov V.G., Egorova O.A.
ВThis article describes a clinical case of an unusual foreign body in the ear, the ORBIZ hydrogel bead. Foreign bodies in the ear remain a common problem in otolaryngology practice, accounting for 5-6% of all emergency visits. Typical foreign bodies include small toy parts, various balls, beads, plant seeds (nuts, sunflower seeds), pieces of paper, and insects. The management of such patients is well-established and straightforward. Rare and unusual foreign bodies pose a health risk. A unique feature of ORBIZ beads is their ability to significantly expand when exposed to liquid. In such patients, the use of ear drops or ear irrigation leads to further foreign body impaction, risking damage to the eardrum and middle ear structures. Physicians must be alert to the possibility of this type of foreign body. Instrumental removal under general anesthesia should be considered as the initial removal method.
For citations: Tarasov A.A., Tikhonov V.G., Egorova O.A. An unusual foreign body in the ear. A case report. Pharmateca. 2026;33(3):159-162. (In Russ.). DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/pharmateca.2026.3.159-162
Authors’ contribution: The authors contributed equally to all stages of the work and preparation of the article: concept development, data collection and analysis, writing and editing the article, reviewing and approving the article.
Conflicts of interest: The authors confirm that they have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding: The study was conducted without any sponsorship.
Patient Consent for Publication: The patient/legal representative signed an informed consent for the publication of their data.
Keywords
foreign body
ear
hydrogel bead
ORBIZ
external auditory canal
otolaryngology
foreign body removal
clinical case
About the Authors
Aleksandr A. Tarasov, Cand. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Smolensk State Medical University, Smolensk, Russia; alat71@yandex.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3236-2642 (corresponding author)Viktor G. Tikhonov, Cand. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Smolensk State Medical University, Smolensk, Russia; lor_tikhonov@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5506-690X
Olga A. Egorova, Cand. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Smolensk State Medical University, Smolensk, Russia;
ola-egorova@yandex.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6316-6046
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