反复咳嗽一年多 “真凶”终于被找到了

Core Viewpoint - The case highlights the importance of thorough medical history inquiry and humanistic care in diagnosing complex health issues, leading to the successful identification and treatment of a long-standing respiratory problem in an elderly patient [1][2]. Group 1: Patient Background and Symptoms - An elderly patient, referred to as Grandma Zhang, has been suffering from persistent cough and phlegm for over a year, with multiple hospital visits and treatments failing to improve her condition [1]. - Three chest CT scans indicated right middle lung atelectasis, but the underlying cause remained undiagnosed despite several anti-infection treatments [1]. Group 2: Diagnosis and Discovery - The attending physician, Dr. Xu Chunhua, conducted a detailed inquiry into the patient's medical history and identified a crucial detail regarding the use of a health product spray prior to the onset of symptoms [1]. - This led to the suspicion that the symptoms might be related to an external object, prompting the need for an electronic bronchoscopy to confirm the diagnosis [1]. Group 3: Treatment and Outcome - After obtaining consent from the patient and her family, the electronic bronchoscopy revealed a health product bottle cap lodged in the right middle bronchus, which had been causing the symptoms for over a year [1]. - The patient underwent a successful bronchoscopy under general anesthesia to remove the foreign object, resulting in significant improvement in her cough and overall activity levels following subsequent anti-infection treatment [2].