Dental Impression Material as a Foreign Body in the Bronchus; Report of a Case

Abstract

We recently experienced a case of rare bronchial foreign body. A 74-year-old man was sent to our hospital because of a suspicion of foreign body in the lower airway. His chest X-ray showed a peculiarly branching shadow at the left cardiac border, and pneumonia of the left lower lobe.A dental impression material was highly suspected, since he had a history of dental treatment several days before. We diagnosed that the foreign body lodged in the left lower lobe bronchus and ramified in B8, B9 and B10 bronchi. Through a bronchofiberscope, we could successfully remove the foreign body using a biopsyforceps. We discussed on the physio-chemical properties of this material, and its clinical and roentgenological characteristics as a bronchial foreign body.