When people aspirate very small amounts of food and drink and it enters the lungs, what happens to that food/liquid? Does it go away or just build up?

Question

I’m asking specifically about when you have just a little bit of food matter or liquid “go down the wrong pipe” and it doesn’t make you choke or have to get it removed. Does something happen to it after it enters the lungs?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Liquids are easily absorbed into your bloodstream through your lungs(as long as it’s small amounts) and either eliminated through your kidneys or used by the body.

Solids are harder and you will, generally, cough them “up” to at least the point where your esophagus and wind pipe separate so that your body can move it into your stomach.

If they are small enough particles they can also be absorbed into your blood stream over time.

If they are somewhere in between small enough to be absorbed and large enough to be coughed up then it will be surrounded by a layer of mucus and your body will(very, very slowly) break up the food and carry it away like any other waste.