A patient swallows a crown during a procedure and immediately develops tachycardia and wheezing. Where has the crown most likely gone?

Correct answer: B. The right lung (right main bronchus)

• A. Wheezing and tachycardia signal an airway (aspiration) event, not ingestion. A crown in the stomach would cause no respiratory signs.
• B. Correct. Wheezing + tachycardia = aspiration. The right main bronchus is wider, shorter and more vertical, so aspirated objects lodge here ~55–60% of the time.
• C. The left main bronchus is narrower, longer and more horizontal (passes under the aortic arch), so it is the less likely destination.
• D. Esophageal lodging causes dysphagia, not wheezing; respiratory symptoms point to the airway.