Hydroscopic properties of organic objects that may present as aural foreign bodies.

Background: Organic foreign bodies swell when irrigated with water, potentially making extraction more difficult. As the degree and rate of swelling of different types of organic foreign bodies has not been established, we aimed to analyze the hydroscopic properties of different organic foreign bodies in body temperature water.

Methods: Dry kidney beans, brown beans, peas, popcorn kernels, and dried fruits were soaked in a body temperature (37C) water bath.