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. 2012:2012:798163.
doi: 10.1155/2012/798163. Epub 2012 Oct 10.

Foreign body aspiration of a dental bridge in the left main stem bronchus

Monay Mahmoud  1 , Syed Imam, Hetalben Patel, Matthew King
Affiliations

Foreign body aspiration of a dental bridge in the left main stem bronchus

Monay Mahmoud et al. Case Rep Med. 2012.

Abstract

Aspiration of tracheobronchial foreign bodies is a life-threatening event that occurs mainly in children. Occurrence in adults is rare and usually has a subtle presentation as most adults are unaware of aspiration of any foreign material. Decreased levels of consciousness, sedation, and neuromuscular diseases are major risk factors for foreign body aspiration in adults. Prompt diagnosis and intervention through foreign body retrieval are critical to prevent significant morbidity and mortality. Retrieval procedure is risky, and sudden decompensation of the patient can occur anytime. We are presenting an adult who accidentally aspirated his dental prosthesis during sleep and underwent successful retrieval of the dental bridge using flexible bronchoscopy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chest radiograph shows a dental prosthesis lodged in the left mainstem bronchus.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Bronchoscopic images obtained during extraction of the dental prosthesis. (a) and (b) depict the prosthesis within the left main stem bronchus. (c) demonstrates the endobronchial forceps grasping the prosthesis during extraction as it is passing through the mid trachea. (d) shows the prosthesis on a bedside tray after removal.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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