Abstract

Background and Clinical Significance: Foreign body aspiration is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children younger than three years of age. Although laryngeal foreign bodies are uncommon, they may be life-threatening and are frequently misdiagnosed because of their variable clinical presentation. Eggshell aspiration is exceptionally rare, with only a few cases reported in the literature. We report a case of delayed diagnosis of a glottic eggshell foreign body in a toddler presenting with persistent upper airway symptoms. Case Presentation: A 16-month-old previously healthy girl was referred to our hospital for evaluation of persistent hoarseness and barking cough following a witnessed choking episode while eating boiled egg. The choking episode had occurred 15 days before presentation during an episode of viral upper respiratory tract infection. Initial symptoms were attributed to laryngitis and persisted despite medical treatment. Flexible laryngoscopy revealed a foreign body impacted at the glottic level, while neck radiography demonstrated a radiopaque calcified lesion corresponding to the foreign body. Microlaryngoscopy under deep sedation was performed, and an approximately 10-mm eggshell fragment was successfully removed. A small amount of granulation tissue was observed at the posterior commissure, corresponding to the site of foreign body impaction. The postoperative course was uneventful, and repeat endoscopic examination on postoperative day three demonstrated satisfactory laryngeal healing with regression of the granulation tissue. Conclusions: This case highlights the importance of considering a retained laryngeal foreign body in young children with persistent hoarseness or barking cough following a choking episode, even in the presence of concomitant respiratory infection. Early endoscopic evaluation is essential to avoid diagnostic delay and facilitate prompt treatment. In addition, this report emphasizes the importance of food choking prevention and caregiver education in children younger than three years of age.

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