Pattern of foreign body aspiration in children

Abstract

Foreign body aspirations comprise one of the preventable causes of accidental deaths in childhood. Diagnostic delay may cause an increase in mortality and morbidity in children without acute respiratory failure. We report our study and compare with the relevant studies available in literature. In our Hospital, bronchoscopy was performed on patients 115 with the diagnosis of foreign body aspirations (Jan 2009 to Aug 2012). Of these cases, 65% were male and 35% female. Their ages ranged from 3 months to 12 years. Diagnosis was made on history, physical examination, radiological methods and bronchoscopy. Foreign bodies were localized in the right main bronchus in 66 (57%) patients followed by left main bronchus in 18 (16%), trachea in 12 (10%), vocal cord in 4(3%) and both bronchus in 9 (8%). Foreign body was not found during bronchoscopy in 6 cases (5%). The majority of the foreign bodies were seeds. Foreign bodies were removed with bronchoscopy in all cases. Pneumonia occurs in only 2 (2/115) patients out of all cases. Conclusion: Rigid bronchoscopy is very effective procedure for inhaled foreign body removal with fewer complications. Proper use of diagnostic techniques provides a high degree of success, and the rigid bronchoscopy used to remove the foreign body was mostly satisfactory.