Soft-tissue images. Ingestion of a knife into the right mainstem bronchus.

Emergency Department, complaining of exertional dyspnea. A review of his medical history revealed that 3 years earlier he had tried to swallow a knife. It was removed from the esophagus by endoscopy. Two years before admission he told his relatives that he had swallowed another knife, but they did not believe him. Posteroanterior (Fig. 1) and lateral (Fig. 2) views of the chest were obtained, demonstrating a knife-like object in the right main bronchus. A rusty knife without its handle, measuring 5 × 2 cm, was removed from the right main bronchus by bronchoscopy. His postoperative course was uncomplicated. Although the most extraordinary objects have been inhaled or swallowed by mentally challenged people, we have not seen a case like this reported in the literature.■ Surgical Images Imagier chirurgical