Foreign bodies in the tracheo-broncheal tree in children: diagnostic problems and management

Abstract

Over a 7 year period 296 children with foreign body aspiration into tracheo broncheal tree were studied. Seventy seven per cent of them were in the age group of one to five years. In 80·8% of the children, the onset of clinical symptoms were strongly suggestive of foreign body aspiration, although the history of foreign body ingestion was forthcoming only in 33·8% cases. Associated complications like bronchiectasis, segmental atelectasis with or without consolidation, pneumonitis and surgical emphysema were seen in 18·9% of them. Bronchoscopy was successful in all the cases. Post bronchoscopic complication was negligible. Three children needed segmental resection in view of the persistence of bronchiectatic changes in the affected segment of the lung.