This paper reports on four paediatric patients who presented with a loom band associated foreign body in the nose over a 7-day period at a district general hospital in Scotland. The patients were two three-year old and two four-year old children with either loom bands or the S-shaped hooks in their noses.

There has been a surge in the popularity of loom bands amongst children in recent months. These small rubber bands, which can be woven together to make colourful bracelets and necklaces, have become the world’s most popular toy. Foreign bodies in paediatric nasal and aural cavities are a common presentation to ENT units across the country. Whilst most are removed without incident, foreign bodies in nasal passages represent a potential risk for inhalation, leading to airway obstruction.

Two of the cases resulted in the item being removed with local anaesthetic and forceps, and in one case, forceps without anaesthetic. In the fourth case, the hook was originally visible deep within the nasal passage, but partial inhalation into the posterior nasal passage meant that the hook was no longer visible. Whilst waiting for a senior medical review, the patient was observed to choke.  After examination, it was assumed that the patient had ingested the foreign body and after a short period of observation, the patient was released.

Although the four cases presented were resolved without the need for general anaesthetic, the ever-soaring prevalence and popularity of loom bands necessitates a degree of caution and vigilance from parents, retailers and manufacturers alike.

The authors said, “Foreign body airway obstructions in children are potentially avoidable, life-threatening events. The case series presented reflects a poor public understanding of the complications of inhaled foreign bodies in children and limited hazard advertising by the manufacturers of loom bands. There is a great urgency to rectify this in light of the ever-increasing popularity and availability of loom bands.”

 The full paper, published in The Journal of Laryngology & Otology, “Loom bands and young children – a tragedy waiting to happen?” by I R M Bohler, C Douglas and S Ansari, can be viewed free of charge here for a limited period.