Coexistence of Foreign Body Aspiration with Clubbing

Introduction: Digital clubbing is a clinically descriptive term, referring to bulbous uniform swelling of the soft tissue of the terminal phalanx of a digit with subsequent loss of the normal angle between the nail and the nail bed. It is associated with various underlying pulmonary, cardiovascular, neoplastic, infectious, hepatobiliary, mediastinal, endocrine, and gastrointestinal diseases. Finger clubbing also may occur without evident underlying disease, as an idiopathic form.

Case presentation: We present a case of clubbing due to foreign body aspiration. A 7 year-old boy referred to our clinic for evaluation of causes of dyspnea from 8 months ago. Growth and development were normal. Past history was negative for other diseases. Physical examination revealed wheezing and clubbing of nails. Other organs were normal. He had treatments for asthma and pneumonia for along time. Bronchoscopy was done and foreign body was found and removed.

Conclusion: This was a rare case of clubbing due to foreign body aspiration. Observation of clubbing might mislead us toward organic diseases. However,  foreign body aspiration can cause clubbing as well.