Delayed Pharyngeal Migration of a Mandibular Fixation Screw 30 Years After Orthognathic Surgery.

There have been reports of migrated screws after cervical spine procedures; however, similar cases after orthognathic procedures are rare. A 48-year-old female patient presented with a 6-month history of left-sided neck pain and left-sided otalgia. Her medical history was relevant for orthognathic surgery 30 years earlier. Flexible fiberoptic endoscopy and a computed tomography scan showed the tip of a fixation screw in the lateral pharyngeal wall on the left side. The patient was taken to the operating room for direct microlaryngoscopy using a carbon dioxide laser, with successful removal of the screw. We report a safe method for removal of pharyngeal foreign bodies.