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Dislocated Dental Prothesis Sitting at the Larynx in an Aphasic Patient: Potentially Fatal Situation
Bilge Türk1, Özlem Ünsal, Kerem Sami Kaya
1Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Training and Research Hospital, ENT Clinic, Şişli, Istanbul, Turkey.
Introduction:
Foreign body in respiration tract is a life-threatening emergency and requires urgent treatment. The diagnosis and treatment requires awareness and suspicion of signs and symptoms of foreign body aspiration.
Case:
A unique case of total dental prothesis aspiration of a 44-year-old aphasic patient is presented. The prothesis is completely removed from the larynx.
Discussion:
Foreign-body aspiration is frequently suspected in children, it is rarely thought about in adults with subacute or chronic respiratory symptoms unless an evident history of an aspiration event is obtained. Facial trauma, dental procedures, central nervous system dysfunction due to stroke, mental retardation, metabolic encephalopathy, seizures, and alcoholism are precipitating factors in adults. Careful clinical history and physical examination is mandatory. Foreign bodies located in the laryngeal region are almost always treated with surgery.
Conclusion:
Loose dentures must be avoided especially in mental retarded, aphasic patients, and patients with central nervous system dysfunction.