Migrating Foreign Body after a Dental Procedure

Conclusion: Once a broken needle is identified, it should be removed because of the potential for migration. The incidence of a broken needle is quite rare but because of the potential for major complications it is recommended to retrieve the broken needle immediately after discovery. A 46-year-old female was referred to Long Island College Hospital for delayed retrieval of a broken 27gauge needle. The patient presented two days after the a dental extraction procedure and local anesthesia in which it was known that a broken needle was lost during injection. She presented 48hrs after the dental procedure with progressively worsening right jaw pain and the sensation of the broken needle foreign body during mandibular movement. The patient had no significant medical problems and was not taking any medications. The patient had a 2cm trismus due to pain. The remainder of the physical examination was negative and no foreign body could be visualized or palpated.