Iranian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology

Iranian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology

Foreign Body Aspiration in Adults (Two Unusual Foreign Bodies; Knife and Tube Tracheostomy)

Document Type : Case Report

Authors
Seyed Mozafar Hashemi 1
Mohsen Kolahdouzan 1
Shahab Shahabi 2
Hamid Talebzadeh 3
Mohammad Taghi Rezaei 4
1 Department of Thoracic Surgeon, Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
2 Department of General Surgery, Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
3 General Surgeon, Resident of Thoracic Surgery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
4 General Surgeon, Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
10.22038/ijorl.2016.8057
Abstract
Introduction:
Foreign body aspiration is usually a serious condition that is most common among the pediatric population, and rare in adults. In adults, aspiration may be tolerated for a long time.
Case Reports:
Our first case is a 38-year-old man who presented with a 2-day history of swallowing a foreign body. He was completely asymptomatic. Chest X-ray revealed the presence of 5-cm foreign object in the right main bronchus. Rigid bronchoscopy was performed and a knife was removed from the right main bronchus. Second, a 57-year old man with a known case of laryngeal cancer from 15 years previously was admitted for respiratory distress. He had previously undergone a permanent tracheostomy and had received radiotherapy for his cancer. At the first visit, the patient had prominent distress and was transferred to the operating room as an emergency. A tube was seen on chest X-ray. On bronchoscopy, we found the tracheostomy situated in the carina. The cleaved tracheostomy was removed using the grasper, by grasping the cuff line.
Conclusion:
We conclude that foreign body aspiration might be completely asymptomatic, especially in an adult. A good history and imaging findings can help us to diagnose and treat the condition carefully.
Keywords
Asymptomatic
Aspiration
Adult
knife
Subjects
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Iranian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology
Volume 29, Issue 1
January and February 2017
Pages 59-61