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Case Reports
. 2015 Feb 16:2015:bcr2014206947.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2014-206947.

Teary eyes due to 21 pence?

Phui Yee Wong  1 , Tze Choong Charn  1 , Andre Ismail  2 , Taran Tatla  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Teary eyes due to 21 pence?

Phui Yee Wong et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

A woman in her late 70s with chronic bilateral epiphora under ophthalmology review was referred to our department for dacryocystorhinostomy after punctoplasty and detection of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. A CT scan of the paranasal sinuses for preoperative planning revealed complete opacification of the right maxillary, anterior ethmoid, frontal and sphenoid sinuses, left septal deviation and an incidental finding of foreign bodies in the right anterior nasal airspace. She proceeded with functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) and removal of foreign bodies. To our surprise, a partially eroded 20 pence and 1 penny coin were found and removed from her right nasal airway. There was no history given about foreign bodies in her nose. Her symptoms improved postoperatively.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Right watery eyes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Coronal view CT: orbit and paranasal sinuses revealed complete opacification of the right maxillary and anterior ethmoid sinus by mucosal disease extending through the infundibulum to completely surround the osteomeatal complex; minimal septum is also deviated to the left and an incidental finding of a foreign body within the right anterior nasal airspace.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Intraoperative endoscopic view of the right nasal cavity with a dark-coloured mass in the right middle meatus.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Another intraoperative endoscopic view of the right nasal cavity with a dark coloured mass found in the right middle meatus.
Figure 5
Figure 5
One pence coin with corroded edges found in the dark coloured mass in the right middle meatus.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Twenty pence coin found in the dark coloured mass in the right middle meatus.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Intraoperative view of the right middle meatus indentation after removal of the foreign bodies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. NICE: Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy February 2005. http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/11027/30616/30616.pdf (accessed 26 Jul 2014).
    1. Platt D, Siddique SS, Idrizovic A et al. . Tearing in the adult patient. Contemp Opthalmol 2008;7:1–8.
    1. Price KM, Richard MJ. Opthalmic pearls: external diseases—the tearing patient: diagnosis and management. Eyenet 2009:33–5 http://www.aao.org/publications/eyenet/200906/upload/33_pearls_shp.pdf (accessed 26 Jul 2014).

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