DOI: 10.36347/sjmcr.2015.v03i10.003

Pages: 939-941

Tracheo bronchial foreign body is a rare but serious presentation in ENT practice. Late-diagnosed bronchial foreign bodies can cause irreversible changes in the bronchi and the lungs and create life endangering situations. We present a case report of a 6-year-old girl who presented with a history of recurrent cough and fever for 3 months duration. There was no history of weight loss or night sweats. The child was diagnosed as suffering from pneumonia and was given multiple courses of antibiotic therapy on OPD basis. Chest radiograph (PA view) showed collapse of the right lung field. On virtual bronchoscopy a foreign body was visualized in the right main bronchus with compensatory hyperinflation of the left lung field. The patient was taken for rigid bronchoscopy under GA and the foreign body was removed in multiple pieces. Foreign body aspiration is a serious ENT emergency and needs early diagnosis and prompt action to save the life of the patient. Virtual bronchoscopy gives the exact location of the foreign body and helps in surgical planning. Rigid bronchoscopic removal is the mainstay of treatment in such cases.