Case of Missing Plastic: Foreign Body Bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis is a well-known entity where the airways abnormally dilate losing their natural function. Most common causes of non-cytic fibrosis bronchiectasis in the middle age group include secondary immunodeficiency, aspiration, and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). Obstructive foreign body is an uncommon cause of bronchiectasis and is often a missed diagnosis in a localized disease. Foreign bodies can be missed making the diagnosis and treatment more challenging and hence foreign body bronchiectasis should be considered in patients presenting with focal disease. Here we describe a patient with a retained foreign body that was discovered post lobectomy during gross pathological examination of the specimen with no significant aspiration history, non-diagnostic imaging of the chest and negative bronchoscopy.