When Size Matters: Extreme Foreign Body Aspiration in Adults

Foreign body aspiration in adults is often considered rare and limited to small objects—but the literature tells a far more dramatic story. This episode explores the largest foreign bodies ever reported in the adult airway, based on a comprehensive review of nearly a century of medical case reports. From a 23‑centimeter wooden branch to voluminous dental prostheses, we examine how such extreme cases occur, why tracheostoma patients are at particular risk, and what these cases reveal about airway anatomy, clinical decision‑making, and the limits of endoscopic removal.