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Updated: May 5, 2026

A New Single Chamber Implantable Defibrillator with Atrial Sensing: A Practical Demonstration of Sensing and Ease of Implantation
Published on: February 28, 2012
Incidental Right Hilar Metallic Density After Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Placement in a Tracheostomized
Michael J Martinez1, Hardik Jain2, Neeraj Goindani2
1Internal Medicine, St. Matthews University, Cayman Islands, CYM.
Abstract:
Adult tracheobronchial foreign bodies are uncommon and can be subtle on radiographs, particularly in device-rich environments. An 80-year-old woman with severe heart failure underwent elective implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) placement and had a linear right hilar radiopaque density and right basilar atelectasis/pleural effusion on postoperative portable chest radiography. She was stable on a tracheostomy collar without respiratory distress. Given the appearance and history of home tracheostomy care, a tracheostomy cleaning brush was suspected. Flexible bronchoscopy via the tracheostomy confirmed and retrieved a cleaning brush from the right bronchus intermedius; purulent secretions were irrigated, and there were no complications. The patient remained hemodynamically stable post-procedure. This case illustrates the value of correlating imaging with clinical stability yet proceeding to definitive airway evaluation when suspicion persists, and it highlights tracheostomy-care equipment as a potential source of iatrogenic foreign bodies in adults.
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