Background: Foreign body aspiration (FBA) into the airway is an emergency condition, which is frequently encountered in emergency services, requires immediate intervention, and could lead to troublesome situation in case of delayed diagnosis and treatment. A detailed anamnesis plays an important role in diagnosis. Overlooked or delayed diagnosis could lead to unintended situations that might result in loss of lung tissue.
Case Presentation: We presented a 71-year-old female patient who aspirated a wishbone 20 years ago and did not consult a physician due to regression of her complaints. The patient was referred to our clinic with hemoptysis. A foreign body was detected in her airway and accordingly she had to undergo left pneumonectomy, which suggested that delayed diagnosis of FBA leads to serious problems including loss of lung tissue, as was in the present case.
Conclusion: In such cases, physical examination should be performed cautiously and a precise radiological scanning should be carried out. We recommend rigid or flexible bronchoscopy in the event of suspicious FBA into the airway.
Key words: Foreign bodies, respiratory aspiration, delayed diagnosis
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