Organic foreign body as an unusual cause of complicatedpneumonia in an infant

Cuerpo extraño orgánico como causa inusual de neumonía complicada en unlactante: informe de un caso.

Introduction: This case describes an unusual presentation of complicated pneumonia
secondary to aspiration and subsequent migration of a vegetable foreign body into the
pulmonary space in an infant. This rare occurrence, scarcely documented in our country, involved the intraoperative discovery of a grass awn partially embedded within the
pulmonary parenchyma and extending into the pleural cavity. This case expands the
current knowledge regarding late complications associated with aspirated vegetable
foreign bodies and underscores the diagnostic and therapeutic value of video-assisted
thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).
Case Report: The infant presented with persistent cough, fever, and progressive
respiratory distress that had been ongoing for two months. Physical examination
revealed signs of respiratory failure, chest radiography showed pleural effusion, and
CT tomography revealed pulmonary consolidation and septated pleural effusion with
areas of cavitation in the right hemithorax. Pneumonia complicated by pleural effusion
was suspected; therefore, surgery was performed, during which an organic vegetable
foreign body was removed.

Conclusion: Aspiration of vegetable foreign bodies may present atypically and progress to severe complications if not promptly diagnosed. A thorough clinical history and
video-assisted thoracoscopy serve as essential diagnostic and therapeutic tools, and
a multidisciplinary approach supports favorable clinical outcomes.