Neglected Foreign Body Aspiration Mimicking Lung Cancer: A Case Report

Abstract

Tracheobronchial aspiration is relatively rare in adults as compared to children although incidence rates tend to increase with advancing age. The diagnosis of tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration can be challenging and warrants a high index of suspicion as the symptoms are often vague and patients may fail to recall the history of choking. The failure to diagnose the condition promptly may result in serious complications such as recurrent pneumonia, hemoptysis, or atelectasis. We present the case of a 72-year-old female with multiple comorbidities who presented with acute respiratory failure, which required urgent intubation and mechanical ventilation. Eventually, she was found to have aspirated green peas and pomegranate seeds, which were successfully removed by flexible bronchoscopy, leading to a dramatic improvement in both clinical condition and radiological imaging findings.