Vietnamese woman found with contraceptive device fragment lodged in nose for 20 years

The 56-year-old patient visited the hospital after experiencing a persistent foul smell in her nose accompanied by nasal pain, local media reported. 

Following an examination by ear, nose and throat specialists and a computed tomography scan of her nasal and sinus areas, doctors detected a radiopaque mass in the middle nasal meatus. 

An endoscopic examination confirmed that it was a plastic foreign object.

After doctors informed her of the findings, the woman recalled that around 20 years earlier, she had received treatment for rhinosinusitis and had a material inserted into her nose.

The object removed was part of a contraceptive device made of soft plastic and shaped like a stylized pine tree. This type of device was once used in medical treatment but is no longer common.

Doctors said the foreign object had remained in her nose for years, causing surrounding mucosal adhesions, infection and foul-smelling discharge.

As the patient had underlying hypertension and diabetes, doctors prescribed appropriate antibiotics and nasal and sinus irrigation after removing the object.

Her nasal odor and pain have since improved significantly.

Doctor Nguyen Ngoc Vinh, head of the hospital's examination department and acting head of its ear, nose and throat department, said contraceptive devices were previously inserted into the nose to treat atrophic rhinitis.

The procedure aimed to narrow the nasal cavity and improve symptoms such as nasal dryness, crusting and congestion.

Meanwhile, doctor Nguyen Ngoc Minh, vice-chairman of the Vietnam Audiology Association and a specialist providing professional support to the hospital, said atrophic rhinitis had become less common thanks to medical advances and greater attention to healthcare.

The practice of inserting contraceptive devices into the nose is no longer performed, he added.

Doctors advised people experiencing symptoms such as reduced or lost sense of smell, foul odors, persistent nasal discharge or nasal pain lasting more than three weeks to seek examination at medical facilities for timely diagnosis and treatment.