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.
