Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is considered to be a consequential health concern in the childhood and adolescent phase associated with a considerable rate of morbidity and rarely mortality. Commonly two types of foreign bodies inhaled are organic and inorganic. A 20-year-old female student was referred to the Pulmonary Department for a chronic cough. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) chest showed localized bronchiectasis and mucus impaction in the right lower lobe. A bronchoscopy was planned and the patient continued the bronchodilator treatment. The patient expectorated one plastic tip of a pen with a bout of cough after one month of the treatment.
Commom differential diagnosis of asthma in children and 5 years and younger. GINA guidelines. 2020. Box-6–3, p. 145.
Koul PA, Wahid A, Bhat TA, et al. Whistle in the bronchus. Ann Thorac Med 2007;2(3):124–125. DOI: 10.4103/1817-1737.33702.
Hilliard T, Sim R, Saunders M, et al. Delayed diagnosis of foreign body aspiration in children. Emerg Med J 2003;20(1):100–101. DOI: 10.1136/emj.20.1.100.
Wu TH, Cheng YL, Tzao C, et al. Longstanding tracheobronchial foreign body in an adult. Respir Care 2012;57(5):808–810. DOI: 10.4187/respcare.01445.
Angus RM, Davies M-L, Cowan MD, et al. Computed tomographic scanning of the lung in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and in asthmatic patients with a positive skin test to Aspergillus fumigatus. Thorax 1994;49(6):586–589. DOI: 10.1136/thx.49.6.586.
Greenberger PA, Patterson R. Diagnosis and management of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Ann Allergy 1986;56(6):444–448. PMID: 3521402.
Keny SJ, Kakodkar UC. A forgotten foreign body in bronchus. Lung India 2016;33:694–696. DOI: 10.4103/0970-2113.192854.
Palasamudram Shekar S, Bajarano P, Hadeh A, et al. Case of missing plastic: Foreign body bronchiectasis. Cureus 2018;10(7):e2974. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.2974a.
Prakash AK, Jaiswal A, Aggarwal A, et al. Bullet in tracheobronchial tree without lung contusion removed by fibreoptic bronchoscopy in two parts. Respiratory Medicine Case Reports 2019;26:255–259. DOI: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2019.02.003.