Definition
When food, liquid, or stomach contents go down the wrong pipe into the lungs instead of the esophagus. Your body's most dangerous wrong turn, with potential pneumonia as the penalty.
Example Usage
The speech pathologist worried about aspiration risk in the stroke patient, since swallowing difficulty can turn every meal into Russian roulette.
Origin
From Latin 'aspirare,' meaning 'to breathe upon'
Fun Fact
Aspiration pneumonia is why dentists tell you not to eat before sedation—vomiting while unconscious can create a lung infection that makes cavities look like a vacation.
Source: Pulmonology and speech pathology terminology
Related Terms
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