Occult Sapodilla Seed Aspiration: Diagnostic Pitfalls and Retrieval Challenges

Bronchial foreign body aspiration (BFBA) in adults is uncommon and frequently overlooked, particularly in tuberculosis‐endemic settings where it may mimic asthma or pulmonary tuberculosis, leading to prolonged diagnostic delay. We report a 55‐year‐old woman with a two‐year history of treatment‐refractory wheezing and progressive dyspnea, repeatedly misdiagnosed as asthma. Chest computed tomography revealed a smooth intraluminal lesion within the right basal trunk bronchus with surrounding post‐obstructive inflammatory changes but no distal atelectasis. Flexible bronchoscopy identified and successfully removed an impacted sapodilla seed, resulting in immediate resolution of wheezing and complete radiologic recovery at follow‐up. This case highlights the importance of meticulous clinical examination, recognition of atypical features of adult‐onset wheezing, and early use of chest CT to identify endobronchial obstruction. Timely bronchoscopy remains the definitive diagnostic and therapeutic modality, preventing unnecessary prolonged treatment and irreversible pulmonary sequelae.