A computed tomography (CT) scan of Mr. Tam’s lungs revealed a foreign body, an animal bone fragment, in the lumen of his right lower lobe bronchus. Doctor Phung Thi Thom from the Respiratory Department immediately prescribed a bronchoscopy to remove the object.

Doctor Thom examines Mr. Tam after the foreign body removal via bronchoscopy. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital

At the site where the foreign body was lodged, the bronchial lining exhibited purulent inflammation and granulation tissue proliferation. According to doctor Thom, this indicated the foreign body had been present in the airway for a prolonged period, stimulating a chronic local inflammatory response and causing a lung infection. A bronchial fluid culture identified multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

After 10 days of antibiotic treatment to control the infection and respiratory monitoring, the patient's condition improved, and he was discharged from the hospital.

Doctors note that airway foreign bodies in adults are often difficult to detect due to vague symptoms. Many cases, after an aspiration episode, only present with a persistent cough, recurrent bronchitis, or repeated pneumonia, making them easily mistaken for common respiratory illnesses.

If a foreign body is not detected and removed promptly, it can lead to complications such as recurrent pneumonia, lung abscess, bronchiectasis, or severe systemic infection, posing a risk of respiratory failure and septic shock.

Patients experiencing severe choking coughs or shortness of breath after aspirating or choking on food should seek immediate medical attention.

Tran Duong