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Endobronchial cockroach: an unusual foreign body aspiration

T J Marlow1, S I Schabel, D D Goltra

  • 1Department of Radiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 28425, USA.

The Journal of Emergency Medicine
|July 1, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Foreign-body aspiration in children can be life-threatening, often presenting with subtle or absent symptoms. This case highlights a delayed diagnosis of a child aspirating a cockroach, emphasizing diagnostic challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Diagnostic Challenges in Pediatrics

Background:

  • Foreign-body aspiration is a common pediatric emergency with potentially severe outcomes.
  • Symptoms like choking, coughing, and wheezing can be variable, absent, or non-specific.
  • Radiographic findings are often inconclusive, complicating timely diagnosis.

Observation:

  • This report details a rare case of pediatric foreign-body aspiration involving a cockroach.
  • The child presented with symptoms that led to a diagnostic delay of three days.
  • The aspirated object was identified as a cockroach.

Findings:

  • Delayed diagnosis of foreign-body aspiration can occur due to non-specific symptoms.
  • A variety of unusual objects, including insects, can be aspirated by children.
  • Prompt recognition and diagnosis are crucial for effective management.

Implications:

  • Highlights the importance of considering a broad differential diagnosis in pediatric respiratory distress.
  • Emphasizes the need for heightened clinical suspicion in cases with ambiguous presentations.
  • Underscores the potential for delayed diagnosis and the challenges in identifying aspirated foreign bodies.

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