Da Nang: Endoscopic removal of foreign body from bronchus of 69-year-old woman successful.

On the afternoon of May 29th, Da Nang Hospital announced that doctors from the Department of Respiratory Medicine - Immunology and Allergy had successfully removed a sharp bone fragment from the airway of a 69-year-old woman under general anesthesia during a bronchoscopy after she had been coughing incessantly for a long time, accompanied by recurrent pneumonia.

Hình ảnh nội soi phát hiện dị vật trong phế quản của cụ bà L.T.T.R.

Endoscopic images revealed a foreign object in the bronchus of elderly woman LTTR.

Patient LTTR (residing in Tam Ky, Quang Nam ) was admitted to the hospital with a persistent dry cough for over 3 months. Recently, the cough worsened, accompanied by fever and chest pain. Previously, the patient had received treatment at a lower-level medical facility, but suspected a worsening condition led to transfer to Da Nang Hospital.

Chest X-ray results showed consolidation in the upper lobe of the left lung. Chest CT scan revealed focal collapse with partial bronchiectasis in the upper lobe of the left lung, and high-density radiopaque images in the lumen of the left upper-lower bronchiole.

The patient underwent flexible bronchoscopy under anesthesia. Doctors successfully removed a sharp-edged bone fragment, approximately 2x1.5cm in size, that had been causing prolonged inflammation. Following the procedure, the patient was alert, experienced a significant reduction in coughing and chest pain, had good lung ventilation, and will be discharged soon.

According to Dr. Hoang Thi Tam, Deputy Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine - Immunology and Allergy at Da Nang Hospital, airway foreign bodies are a dangerous cause that can be overlooked if not considered and diagnosed early. Foreign bodies not only cause chronic pneumonia and hemoptysis but can also lead to respiratory failure, threatening life.

Sức khoẻ của người bệnh đã ổn định trở lại, sắp được xuất viện.

The patient's health has stabilized and they are about to be discharged from the hospital.

People should be especially vigilant if they experience persistent coughing, recurrent pneumonia, particularly after choking, gagging, or careless eating. In many cases, foreign objects can enter the airways after a strong coughing fit without the patient immediately realizing it. Bronchoscopy is an important technique for safely and effectively detecting and removing foreign objects from the airways if present.

Dr. Hoang Thi Tam also advised that adults should avoid talking or laughing while eating; and should refrain from habits such as chewing on toothpicks, biting pens, or holding screws and safety pins in their mouths. Elderly people and bedridden patients should eat slowly and in the correct posture, and may need to have their food pureed or a gastric tube inserted if there is a high risk of choking.

Keep young children away from easily swallowed objects such as batteries, seeds, and toy pieces; do not let children eat while running, jumping, or playing. For fruits with seeds like custard apples and sapodillas, remove the seeds before giving them to children.

If choking or airway obstruction is suspected, and the patient is conscious and able to cough, encourage forceful coughing. If choking occurs, perform the Heimlich maneuver (a method using the rescuer's hand pressure to create strong pressure in the airway to dislodge the obstruction) or call emergency services (115). If a persistent cough of unknown cause, especially after choking, seek immediate medical attention at a respiratory specialist facility for endoscopic examination.

Comment (0)