Risk factors for aspiration:
(1) inexperience
(2) sudden inhalation (after a sudden surprise, after a blow, etc)
Clinical features:
(1) cough
(2) dyspnea
(3) chest pain
(4) fever
(5) acute respiratory distress syndrome
(6) dizziness
(7) gastrointestinal symptoms (if hydrocarbon swallowed as well as aspirated)
(8) cyanosis
(9) hemoptysis
It is important to identify what was aspirated and how much.
Chest imaging may show unilateral or bilateral changes including
(1) infilatrates in the basal lung
(2) one or more areas of consolidation
(3) smooth, circumscribed nodules
(4) pneumatocele (cavitary nodules)
(5) rarely pneumothorax
Broncho-alveolar lavage may show a lipoid pneumonia with macrophages. Acute inflammation may occur if bacterial pneumonia develops.
Therapy may include administration of antibiotics with or without corticosteroids. Minor inhalations may only require symptomatic supportive care. Rarely a patient may develop acute respiratory failure which can be fatal.
