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Foreign body aspiration in children: our pediatric tertiary care experience

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Abstract

Purpose

Inhalation of a foreign body is a real emergency in pediatric age and requires prompt diagnosis and treatment to reduce mortality. The objective of this study is to analyze clinical and radiological details, types, and localization of foreign bodies in patients conducted or to our hospital with suspected inhalation.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of all cases of foreign body inhalation admitted to our Pediatric Emergency Room between January 2009 and June 2022.

Results

171 patients were included in the study. In 83 patients, the FB was detected. The mean age of presentation was 2.3 years (SD: ± 2). Cough (73%) and unilateral reduced breath sound (51%) were the most common clinical symptom and clinical sign. The most frequent localization was the right main bronchus (43%). The foreign bodies retrieved were vegetable (83%), of which peanut was the most common. Chest radiographs were normal in 25%. The mean duration of hospitalization was 5 days (± 2.9). Complications such as pneumothorax were seen in two cases.

Conclusions

Foreign body inhalation represents a true pediatric emergency and still a challenge in clinical practice.

The best way to manage it is an early diagnosis and removal by fully trained staff.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Airway Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical Specialties, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Piazza Sant’Onofrio, 4, 00165, Rome, Italy

    Miriam Torsello, Duino Meucci, Antonio Salvati, Maria Luisa Tropiano & Marilena Trozzi

  2. Department of Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology Unit, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

    Luana Sicuranza

  3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy

    Sara Santarsiero

  4. Otolaryngology Department, Verona University Hospital, Verona, Italy

    Cinzia Calabrese

  5. Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy

    Alessandra D’Onghia

Authors
  1. Miriam Torsello
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  2. Luana Sicuranza
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  3. Duino Meucci
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  4. Antonio Salvati
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  5. Maria Luisa Tropiano
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  6. Sara Santarsiero
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  7. Cinzia Calabrese
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  8. Alessandra D’Onghia
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  9. Marilena Trozzi
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Contributions

M.To, M.Tr.,M.Tr, and D.M. wrote the main manucript text. A.D, L.S have collected and analyzed data. S.S. and A.S. prepared Table 1 and Table 2 C.C. and prepared Figure 1 All authors reviewed the manucript

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Miriam Torsello.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Torsello, M., Sicuranza, L., Meucci, D. et al. Foreign body aspiration in children: our pediatric tertiary care experience. Pediatr Surg Int 40, 93 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-024-05679-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-024-05679-z

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