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Bronchial Foreign Bodies These are inhaled into the trachea or bronchi and result in sudden onset paroxysmal coughing. Large obstructions can cause a degree of upper airway obstruction interfering with breathing and requiring emergency removal, fortunately this is rare. Smaller objects such as grass awns or fragments of sticks lodge further down the respiratory tract in the bronchi and cause coughing and occasionally bleeding from the nose (haemoptysis). If the object is not dislodged then persistent coughing and bad breath (halitosis) develop. X-rays of the trachea and chest may aid diagnosis, bronchoscopy can usually visualise the object directly and occasionally remove it, otherwise thoracic surgery may be required for removal. Surgical removal and appropriate antibiotic treatment is curative. Occasionally migration of the foreign body into the lung tissue induces the formation of a localised lung abscess. In isolated cases removal of an entire lung lobe can be required. |
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