Oral Surgery · single question
A patient swallows a clasp from a partial denture. What is the MOST life-threatening situation?
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Correct answer: A. If it goes to the right bronchus
- A. Correct. The RIGHT BRONCHUS is the most common site for inhaled foreign bodies because it is wider, shorter, and more vertically oriented than the left bronchus. Aspiration into the right bronchus is the most life-threatening situation because it can cause complete airway obstruction, pneumonia, or lung abscess.
- B. Incorrect. If it reaches the stomach, it will most likely pass through the GI tract naturally. The stomach is not the most life-threatening location.
- C. Incorrect. If the clasp goes to the LEFT bronchus, it is concerning, but the right bronchus is MORE dangerous.
- D. Incorrect. Passage through the esophagus to the stomach is much less dangerous than bronchial aspiration.