A patient is reported with bronchiectasis, pulmonary suppuration and respiratory failure 26 years after inhalation of a foreign body and 17 years after its removal. The patient denied knowledge of inhalation of the foreign body until the current admission. Chronic bronchial suppuration generally with bronchiectasis often occurs after prolonged foreign body retention; rarely there are only minor sequelae after inhalation of nonorganic foreign bodies. In this case, chronic bronchopulmonary suppuration and severe airways obstruction progressed to respiratory failure even after the foreign body was removed.