Eighteen years lasting bronchial foreign body: A case report in Cameroon, sub-Sahara Africa

Foreign body aspiration represents an important cause of morbidity and mortality during childhood. A neglected aspirated foreign body can last for years, leading to complications that are sometimes difficult to manage, dramatically affecting the quality of life of the patient.

We report the case of a 29-year-old female who presented with eighteen-year history of recurrent cough, choking, and respiratory infections following a foreign body aspiration. The course was complicated by a chronic secondary lung abscess, successfully managed by combined medical and surgical treatment.

In low-income countries like ours, foreign body aspiration is often misdiagnosed. The often delayed management due to low socioeconomic status can lead to serious complications. To the best of our knowledge, it is the longest period of bronchial foreign body retention reported in the medical literature in Africa.

Foreign body aspiration is common in childhood and requires early recognition and treatment, in order to avoid complications that can be very serious or even fatal.