Broken Tip of a Disposable Saliva Ejector as a Bronchial Foreign Body in a Patient With Severe Physical and Intellectual Disabilities

• Published in: Cureus Vol. 15; no. 12; p. e50854
• Main Authors: Himeji, Daisuke, Shiiba, Ritsuya, Tanaka, Gen-Ichi, Shimonodan, Hidemi, Kojima, Kotaro
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: 01-12-2023
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.50854

Oral care for patients with severe physical and intellectual disabilities is important to prevent the development of systemic diseases and maintain or improve their health. Foreign bodies accidentally aspirated into the respiratory tract can cause critical problems. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of aspiration of a broken tip of a disposable saliva ejector in a patient with severe physical and intellectual disabilities. The patient's strong bite broke off the ejector's tip during oral care. The foreign body was removed by flexible bronchoscopy without any complications. Such cases are sometimes asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic; thus, learning how to appropriately respond is essential for caregivers and family doctors. In addition, this device is widely used in clinical practice, and such risks should be widely known. Moreover, manufacturers should develop more robust equipment for oral care.