2017 Volume 39 Issue 1 Pages 43-47
Background. Few cases of bronchial foreign body due to damage by a suction catheter have been reported. Case. An 82-year-old man with a history of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on long-term ventilation was admitted to our hospital for a persistent fever since five days before admission despite antibiotic treatment. A chest computed tomography scan revealed a tubular foreign body exceeding 3 cm in length in the truncus intermedius. Emergency flexible bronchoscopy showed a large amount of purulent sputum and the foreign body, which was removed using biopsy forceps. The object was found to be a broken endotracheal suction catheter made of silicone. The same suction catheter had been used for a long time before being inhaled. Conclusion. The number of patients on long-term ventilation has been increasing, and some home-care patients use the same suction catheter continuously for economical reasons. Physicians must be alert for complications such as damage due to suction catheters in patients on long-term ventilation.
