Abstract
Piercings, especially in the oral area, are associated with several complications. The tongue and lips are areas that are commonly pierced, with the tongue being particularly sensitive due to its high vascularity and critical location in the upper respiratory tract. Long-term bleeding and infection can lead to serious, life-threatening complications.
We report a case of a 27-year-old woman who attempted a tongue piercing. While inserting the needle, it deviated from its intended path and went from the dorsum of the tongue to the floor of her mouth. After the needle was inserted, the patient experienced bleeding in the pierced area and was unable to locate the needle, prompting her to visit a nearby hospital. The possibility that the needle had migrated to the floor of the mouth was considered. During the initial consultation, a puncture site was identified in the middle of the dorsum of her tongue. Computed tomography showed a needle-shaped radiopaque area extending from the midline of the tongue to the sublingual area and mental spine. Surgical removal of the foreign body was successfully performed under general anesthesia. There was no postoperative infection at the wound site and the patient recovered well.
