Feather in Wharton’s Duct: A Case Report

This report highlights a remarkable case of a 12-year-old boy with a suspected foreign body obstructing Wharton's duct. The patient came to the clinic complaining of pain and swelling in the right submandibular area, as well as a history of using a feather to floss his teeth. The CT scan failed to detect the foreign body so, based on the detailed history the patient provided, surgical exploration was performed under general anesthesia and a 2 cm feather shaft was successfully retrieved from the duct. This case underscores the limitations of imaging techniques in certain scenarios and highlights the importance of correlating clinical history to achieve an early diagnosis and surgical intervention.

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Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2025-04-20
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.82641
Primary Topic
American and British Literature Analysis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Feather in Wharton’s Duct: A Case Report

Mazyad Alenezi, Rima M Alassaf, Jana Saud
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Cureus
American and British Literature Analysis
article

Feather in Wharton’s Duct: A Case Report

Mazyad Alenezi, Rima M Alassaf, Jana Saud
article en

Abstract

This report highlights a remarkable case of a 12-year-old boy with a suspected foreign body obstructing Wharton's duct. The patient came to the clinic complaining of pain and swelling in the right submandibular area, as well as a history of using a feather to floss his teeth. The CT scan failed to detect the foreign body so, based on the detailed history the patient provided, surgical exploration was performed under general anesthesia and a 2 cm feather shaft was successfully retrieved from the duct. This case underscores the limitations of imaging techniques in certain scenarios and highlights the importance of correlating clinical history to achieve an early diagnosis and surgical intervention.

CureusVol. 17(4)
Qassim University (SA)
Openalex Percentile: Top 92%
American and British Literature Analysis
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