Unsuspected foreign-body aspiration in adult patient with status asthmaticus: Case report

Accidental foreign body aspiration can cause severe damage to the airway and threaten the patient's life. This situation requires multidisciplinary and systematic approach from the medical and surgical team, in order to achieve complete resolution maintaining airway permeability.

This is a 49 y/o man who presented with a severe asthma attack, in whom an unsuspected foreign body in the inferior airway was diagnosed, which was possibly the result of aspiration during the initial emergency care, causing worsening of the already critical condition.

We described the clinical course, radiologic and endoscopic findings, and outcome of the patient, highlighting the importance of considering the possibility of a foreign body in the airway, when there is no improvement in refractory status asthmaticus. This is particularly important in a university hospital. Moreover, the implementation of checklists when invasive procedures are performed can avoid loss of material, preventing iatrogenic aspiration events.

Foreign body aspirations may remain undetected due to lack of suspicion, especially in adults, in whom they can cause chronic symptoms, or worsen chronic respiratory conditions turning them into more complex diseases. This cause must be considered in the differential diagnosis of refractory status asthmaticus.