[An unusual bronchial foreign body: a fragment of a tracheostomy tube].

A fragment of a fractured tracheostomy tube as a foreign body in the bronchus is very unusual. We report an 18-year old male with Hunter's syndrome who presented with fever and bronchorrhea. He had worn a tracheostomy tube for 2 years without its being removed for cleaning. Chest X-ray showed an opaque foreign body in the right main bronchus which was removed through a flexible bronchoscope and found to be a piece of the broken edge of the outer cannula of a tracheostomy tube. We suggest regular examination of tracheostomy tubes for signs of wear-and-tear and recommend their periodic renewal before they become worn out.