What happens if you accidentally inhale a piece of plastic like small Lego and it gets stuck in your lungs?

Inhaling a small piece of plastic, such as a Lego brick, can be a potentially serious medical situation, especially if the object becomes lodged in your lungs. Here's what might happen:

1. Coughing and Difficulty Breathing: Immediately after inhaling the plastic piece, you may experience a sudden onset of coughing and shortness of breath. This is your body's natural response to the foreign object in your airways.

2. Wheezing: The obstruction caused by the plastic can lead to wheezing sounds during breathing, indicating airflow limitation and airway narrowing.

3. Chest Pain: You may feel a sharp or dull pain in your chest, particularly when coughing or taking deep breaths. This pain can result from the plastic piece irritating the tissues of the airways and lungs.

4. Respiratory Distress: If the plastic object completely blocks an airway, it can cause significant respiratory distress. This may lead to severe coughing, gasping for air, and an inability to speak or breathe effectively.

5. Infection: If the plastic piece remains in your lungs for an extended period, it can increase the risk of infection or inflammation in the airways and lung tissue. This can further worsen your respiratory symptoms.

6. Pneumonia: Prolonged inflammation and infection in the lungs due to the presence of the plastic object can lead to pneumonia, a serious lung infection.

7. Long-Term Complications: In rare cases, if the plastic piece remains lodged in the lungs for a long time, it may cause chronic respiratory problems, including persistent coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and recurrent infections.

It is crucial to seek immediate medical attention if you suspect that you have inhaled a piece of plastic. Delaying medical intervention can lead to more severe complications. Doctors may perform imaging tests, such as X-rays or CT scans, to locate the object's position in the lungs. Depending on the accessibility and size of the plastic piece, they may attempt to remove it using specialized instruments during bronchoscopy (a procedure where a thin, flexible tube with a camera is inserted into the airways). In some cases, surgical intervention may be necessary.

If you have a child or someone else who accidentally inhales a foreign object, it's important to stay calm, encourage coughing (if possible), and seek immediate medical help to ensure prompt removal and prevent potential complications.