[The pre- and intraoperative localization of superficially situated metallic objects in the head and neck area using a metal detector].

For prevention of infections and with regard to forensic implications foreign bodies lost in the soft tissues should be taken out. A good alternative for the localization of metallic objects superficially situated in the soft tissues of the oral facial region, other than the use of radiographic means and stereotactic localization, is the use of a metal detector. This method can be used without complication before or during each operation demonstrated by two clinical cases. Its use avoids a large-scale tissue removal and exposure in the search of foreign bodies in superficial soft tissues. It is a non invasive simple method for localization of metallic foreign bodies.