Surgery removes 'itchy' dandelion growing inside baby's ear

A 1-year-old baby girl in Beijing is in recovery following surgery to remove a dandelion from her left ear canal, which blossomed inside after a seed found its way into the space some four months ago.

Doctors at Capital Institute of Pediatrics removed the blossoming dandelion out of Ranran's ear, after carrying out an anti-inflammation cleaning procedure that required surgery on November 25.

"The dandelion had totally grown into Ranran's ear and filled her ear canal wall," said Gu Qinglong, chief physician of otolaryngology at the hospital. "Even the slightest bit of pressure put her at risk for internal bleeding so it had to come out."

Ranran's mother told doctors that her baby had cried over an itchy ear for months, remembering that a seed had accidentally gone down her left ear in the summer.

"When she started scratching her ear, I checked and found something inside, but couldn't get it out," Wang told people.com.cn, unaware of the situation's severity at the time.

Gu said that since the ear canal wall is warm and humid with secretions, it can provide a seed with the environment and nutrition it needs to grow.