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Airway foreign body

Case contributed by David Clemo Steel
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

1 month of acute onset dyspnea.

Patient Data

Age: 1 year
Gender: Male
x-ray

Greater volume and lucency of left hemithorax. 

1 month later

x-ray

A repeat chest x-ray one month later shows no change, with continued volume loss on the right / hyperinflation on the left. 

CT Chest

ct

Left main bronchus foreign body.

Asymmetry in both hemithoraces, with greater volume and lucency to the left due to air trapping.

Case Discussion

Delayed diagnosis of airway foreign body in left main bronchus. Fortunately, there was no progression in lung collapse.

The foreign body is evident in the left main bronchus with secondary left-sided hyperinflation due to air trapping.

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