[A migrating ear of barley: a curious story of an intrabronchial foreign body].

A case of migrating inhaled ear of barley in a 2 1/2 year old boy is reported with: 1) mild initial symptoms at the time of inhalation followed by a symptomless interval of 8 days; 2) at day 9 fever and dyspnea, right paracardiac infiltrate with pleural reaction on X-rays, normal bronchoscopy; 3) at day 11 extensive right pneumothorax; 4) at day 20, right axillary inflammatory lesion; 5) at day 28 expulsion of an ear of barley from this lesion, followed by complete recovery.