Deliberate self-harming application of superglue in the nose: case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND

Accidental and non-accidental applications of superglue in the ear, nose and oral cavity have been reported previously. Surgical removal of glue from the nose is the current practice.

CASE REPORT: This paper reports the case of an 18-year-old female, who presented with complete bilateral nasal occlusion due to deliberate self-application of superglue in both nostrils to avoid nasogastric tube insertion.

RESULTS

Removal of glue was accomplished with a combination of local anaesthetic cream and acetone-soaked cotton buds, which caused only minimal discomfort to the patient. All traces of glue disappeared within 10 days, without causing damage to the nasal mucosa, nasal blockage or pain.

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of deliberate self-application of superglue in the nose. A successful non-surgical management option for the removal of glue from the nose is introduced.