@article {SarantoulakiP3586, author = {Styliani Sarantoulaki and Maria Mouzouraki and Emmanouil Ntaoukakis}, title = {Foreigh body aspiration by a 31 years old female patient, mimics diaphragmatic hernia}, volume = {40}, number = {Suppl 56}, elocation-id = {P3586}, year = {2012}, publisher = {European Respiratory Society}, abstract = {Introduction: We present a case of food aspiration by a 31 years old female patient, masquerading as diaphragmatic hernia.Aims and Objectives: Our aim is to show that food aspiration is a life threatening condition and it can easily escape detection.Methods: A 31 years old female presented at the emergency department with shortness of breath. Her past history was unremarkable. The chest X-ray demonstrated total collapse of the left lung and herniation of the stomach and large intestine into the left pleural cavity. Chest CT- scan demonstrated the presence of stomach and large bowel in the left chest suggesting a posterolateral diaphragmatic hernia. The patient was subjected to an posterolateral thoracotomy. To our surprise there was only local eventration of the left hemidiaphragm. Atelectasis of the left lung persisted despite ventilation with high pressures.The patient subjected in intraoperative flexible bronchoscopy and there was presented a large quantity of mucus surrounding a soft mass adhered at the wall of the bronchus. Rigid bronchoscopy was performed the following day and a piece of meat was extracted.Results: Atelectasis soon dissapeard and the patient had normal breath again, after the extraction of the food mass.Conclusion: Foreigh body aspiration is unusual in adults, except those who are debilitated or have neuropsychiatric disorders. The doctors must be suspicious about this condition even in young healthy patients and bronchoscopy must be used as diagnosting and therapeutic step, before the patient subject a thoracotomy.}, issn = {0903-1936}, URL = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P3586}, eprint = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P3586.full.pdf}, journal = {European Respiratory Journal} }