Abstract
A case of a fatal foreign material aspiration is presented in the following paper. During the autopsy, an orange colored mucus plug was noted in the trachea, which was completely occluding the lumen from mid-level downwards causing a lethal respiratory insufficiency. The bio-chemical and chemical analysis was positive for fructose; there was history of intake of a mango fruit drink just before induction for surgery. The anatomo-pathological exam of the lungs showed the signs of acute asphyxia (Microscopic examinations revealed atelectasia, emphysema, eosinophilic exudate and empty spaces).This case represents a rare lethal event related to the aspiration of a fruit drink in a child just prior to induction.
Highlights
Asphyxia, by definition and bearings is a complex term
Inhalation of foreign body into the tracheobronchial tree is a medical emergency sometimes resulting into sudden death
The current mortality rate due to foreign body inhalation ranges from 0% to 1.8% [6]
Summary
A foreign body is an acute life-threatening condition [1] and is under-reported as a cause of airway obstruction [2]. Diagnosis based on autopsy findings is difficult as signs and symptoms on the body are mostly vague and non-specific [3]. Majority of such asphyxial deaths are caused by undigested food/other foreign bodies especially in children, the old and the infirm. The diagnosis of death by choking is based on the detection of the generic signs of asphyxia, on the identification of the foreign body obstructing the airways and on the exclusion of other causes of death. The case here reported regards a rare case of complete obstruction of the trachea by a mucous plug formed due to the accidental aspiration of a fruit drink just after preop induction
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