An unusual case of a tracheobronchial foreign body

Abstract

We herein report a case of an unusual tracheal foreign body in a 42-year-old patient who after having undergone surgery for a tongue base malignancy presented following discharge with progressively worsened intractable cough. A chest x ray revealed a foreign body (FB) extending from glottis through the trachea up to the right bronchi. Awake fiberoptic bronchoscopic FB removal was done and the tube was recovered as a whole delivered through the oral cavity. It was 2/3 rd the length of an airway exchanger catheter (AEC) used during the trial of extubation.