The sweet lung: Chewing gummi bear aspiration

• Main Authors: Theonimfi Tavladaki, Michaela-Diana Fitrolaki, Anna-Maria Spanaki, Staurula Ilia, Elissabet Geromarkaki, George Briassoulis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2012-01-01
• Series: Lung India
• Subjects: Bronchoscopy; children; foreign body aspiration; gummi bear; lung
• Online Access: http://www.lungindia.com/article.asp?issn=0970-2113;year=2012;volume=29;issue=3;spage=267;epage=269;aulast=Tavladaki

Inhalation of foreign bodies, a leading cause of accidental death, is most common in preschool children. In this article we report our experience with a 5-year-old Greek girl who presented with a 24-hour history of sore throat, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Emergency bronchoscopy was performed and multiple small chewing gummi bear (HARIBO) particles impacted in the orifices of the right main bronchus and right lobar and segmentalinic bronchi were successfully removed and aspirated. Aspiration of gummi bears, which is for the first time reported, may cause a silent choking episode leading to life-threatening bronchi obstruction at multiple sites, even in children older than 4 years.