A Case of Prolonged Atelectasis and Recurrent Pneumonia Secondary to an Unsuspected Chicken Bone Aspiration: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) in adults is rare and often overlooked, presenting with nonspecific pulmonary symptoms that may mimic recurrent infections or malignancy. Delay in diagnosis can lead to prolonged morbidity and mismanagement.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 55-year-old woman with a 2-month history of productive cough, intermittent hemoptysis, dyspnea, pleuritic chest pain, and recurrent pneumonia unresponsive to multiple courses of antibiotics and corticosteroids. Chest X-ray revealed right middle-lobe collapse, while computed tomography demonstrated a linear radiopaque lesion in the right middle-lobe bronchus. Flexible bronchoscopy confirmed complete bronchial obstruction by purulent debris concealing a sharp chicken bone fragment, which was retrieved successfully. The patient showed rapid clinical improvement following removal.

CONCLUSION

This case underscores the importance of considering FBA in the differential diagnosis of persistent atelectasis or treatment-resistant pneumonia in adults, even in the absence of aspiration history or risk factors. Diagnostic bronchoscopy remains the gold standard, enabling both definitive diagnosis and therapeutic intervention, thereby preventing misdiagnosis as neoplasm and avoiding unnecessary procedures.