Asymptomatic inhaled foreign body: A bullet in the lung for 2 years

Authors

• Muhammad U. Salim, From the Department of Respiratory Medicine (Salim), Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, the Department of Thoracic Surgery (Asghar, Tareen, Azhar), The Pakistan Navy Ship, Shifa International Hospitals, Karachi, Pakistan
• Asif Asghar, From the Department of Respiratory Medicine (Salim), Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, the Department of Thoracic Surgery (Asghar, Tareen, Azhar), The Pakistan Navy Ship, Shifa International Hospitals, Karachi, Pakistan
• Irum Tareen, From the Department of Respiratory Medicine (Salim), Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, the Department of Thoracic Surgery (Asghar, Tareen, Azhar), The Pakistan Navy Ship, Shifa International Hospitals, Karachi, Pakistan
• Muhammad Azhar, From the Department of Respiratory Medicine (Salim), Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, the Department of Thoracic Surgery (Asghar, Tareen, Azhar), The Pakistan Navy Ship, Shifa International Hospitals, Karachi, Pakistan

Abstract

It is very rare to have a big foreign body in the lungs without any complications or symptoms for 2 years. A 14-year-old male with episodes of minor hemoptysis for 4 weeks had a history of inhalation of a bullet 2 years earlier. He had asymptomatic for lung complications for 2 years. The bullet was removed by right thoracotomy and non-anatomical wedge stapled resection, and he followed an uneventful recovery. An aspirated foreign body although big can remain asymptomatic for a long time, especially if it has migrated to the periphery.

Article Type

Case Report

First Page

1136

Last Page

1139

Recommended Citation

Salim, Muhammad U.; Asghar, Asif; Tareen, Irum; and Azhar, Muhammad (2016) "Asymptomatic inhaled foreign body: A bullet in the lung for 2 years," Saudi Medical Journal: Vol. 37: Iss. 10, Article 14.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2016.10.16046