Delayed Detection of a Penetrating Tracheal Foreign Body / 대한흉부외과학회지

ABSTRACT

The finding of a tracheal penetrating injury that's caused by a foreign body is rare in adulthood. A 42-year-old man had experienced penetrating trauma due to a glass fragment 10 years ago. He presented with blood tinged sputum and dyspnea on exertion, and this had developed 1 year previously. Chest CT scan and bronchoscopy revealed a foreign body crossing the tracheal lumen and the object arose from outside of the trachea; this was all associated with airway edema. We removed the foreign body, which was a 5cm length of glass fragment, and we repaired the tracheal defect using a simple primary suture. The postoperative course of the patient was uneventful and he is now being followed up at the outpatient department; he has had no additional symptoms.