The lucky patient who aspirated a needle

Abstract

Foreign body aspiration is seen frequently in pediatric and geriatric patients, but it can also be seen in adults. Needle aspiration is a common problem in our country. Foreign body aspiration can lead to complete airway obstruction, asphyxia and death but sometimes symptoms may not be evident during the early period of aspiration and patients may present with complications afterwards. Early diagnosis is important in foreign body aspiration for prevention of mortality and complications. Suspicion aroused by patient history is the first step towards a diagnosis. Plain radiography and tomography may be used for imaging. Bronchoscopy is performed for diagnosis if there is uncertainty after imaging and may also be used for the treatment of diagnosed cases. In this article, we present a foreign body aspiration case that presented with difficulty and pain while swallowing, subsequently found to be the result of a needle that was stuck between the oropharynx and epiglottis.