Aspirated tooth

Case contributed by Sachi Hapugoda
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Motor vehicle collision. Extensive head and facial injuries.

Patient Data

Age: 25 years
Gender: Male
x-ray

ETT tip in lower trachea. Bilateral pneumothoraces and chest drains. Bilateral airspace opacification.

Tooth projects over the right main bronchus. Opacity overlying T9 likely represents bony foreign body.

Annotated image

Yellow and red arrows demonstrate position of foreign bodies.

ct

Tooth in the right main bronchus and foreign body/tooth in esophagus at T9 level adjacent to the NG tube.

Bilateral pneumothoraces (right larger than left) and bilateral ICC's in situ. Bilateral pulmonary contusions/aspiration.

Case Discussion

Once a foreign body is detected continue reviewing for further fragments, especially in the setting of trauma. In this case, this was almost certainly due to the extensive facial fractures and dental injuries the patient sustained.

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