Foreign body in lower airway of two years of evolution: case report

Abstract

The aspiration of a foreign body is a fatal event that can lead to death, this is defined as the accidental aspiration of an organic or inorganic object to the, larynx, trachea or bronchial tree. This event is common among pediatric population, especially in children between 18 months and 3 years. The majority of foreign bodies lodge in the right mainstrem bronchus. The delayed in the diagnosis of foreign body is related with recurrent pneumonias, bronchiectasis and atelectasis. We present the case a story of a 12-yearold with a history of foreign-body aspiration two years ago. During this time he present green-yellowish productive and persistent cough, halitosis, recurrent pneumonia and clubbed fingers. With the help of computed tomography images and virtual bronchoscopy, we observed a foreign body lodged in the left main bronchus, revealing a collapsed left lung with bronchiectasis in inferior lobe, heart displacement to the left and the right lung hyperinflated.