Radiological distribution of bronchiectasis could be a clue for an infrequent cause of chronic cough

Abstract

Foreign Body Aspiration (FBA) in the elderly is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening condition in the acute setting, but it can also persist in the clinical setting of neglected foreign body with chronic and subtle respiratory symptoms. Chest computed tomography scan can overlook radiolucent foreign bodies but prominently focal lesion and bibasilar bronchiectasis in the appropriate clinical setting should increase the suspicion of FBA. Here we reported a 75-year-old female patient with chronic cough induced by neglected airway foreign body. Bronchoscopic removal of the foreign body was performed successfully, and her cough improved enormously after that.