Glass in the Airways : A Bronchoscopic Challenge

Copyright © 2024, Doppalapudi et al..

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) in adults is indeed a significant medical concern, albeit less common than in children. The increase in incidence with advancing age can be attributed to factors such as a decline in mental status and impairment of the swallowing reflex, which is more prevalent in the elderly population. The symptoms of FBA are highly variable, ranging from severe, acute asphyxiation, which may or may not involve complete airway obstruction, to more subtle signs like coughing, shortness of breath (dyspnea), choking, or fever. These varied presentations, coupled with the fact that many other medical conditions can mimic the respiratory symptoms seen in FBA, make diagnosis challenging. A high index of suspicion is often required, especially in cases where the patient's history does not clearly point toward aspiration. Immediate management focuses on supporting the airway, which is crucial given the potential for severe obstruction. Radiographic imaging plays a key role in localizing the foreign body, which is vital for planning its removal. Bronchoscopy, particularly flexible bronchoscopy, is the cornerstone of both diagnosis and treatment. This technique allows for direct visualization of the airways, localization of the foreign body, and its subsequent removal. This is crucial to avoid long-term complications, which can arise if the foreign body is not promptly and effectively removed. In this case report, we present a 64-year-old female patient who was found to have a foreign object positioned in the right lower lobe of the lungs that was removed via flexible bronchoscopy.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:16

Enthalten in:

Cureus - 16(2024), 1 vom: 01. Jan., Seite e53344

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Doppalapudi, Sai [VerfasserIn]
Fortuzi, Ked [VerfasserIn]
Qasim, Abeer [VerfasserIn]
Yordanka, Diaz Saez [VerfasserIn]
Khaja, Misbahuddin [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Aspiration
Bronchoscopy
Case Reports
Chronic cough
Foreign body aspiration
Rigid bronchoscopy

Anmerkungen:

Date Revised 05.03.2024

published: Electronic-eCollection

Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE

doi:

10.7759/cureus.53344

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM369257588