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Foreign bodies in the upper airways causing complications and requiring hospitalization in children aged 0–14 years: results from the ESFBI study

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Abstract

Foreign body (FB) aspiration/inhalation is a serious problem because it is still a cause of death in children, especially among those younger than 4 years. The objective of this paper is to characterize the risk of complications and prolonged hospitalization due to foreign bodies (FB) in the upper airways in terms of the characteristics of the injured patients (age, gender), typology and features of the FBs, the circumstances of the accident and the hospitalization details. A retrospective study in the major hospitals of 19 European countries was realized on injuries occurred in the years 2000–2002 and identified by means of the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes listed on hospital discharge records. In 170 cases, it was reported an injury due to the presence of a FB in the pharynx and larynx (ICD933) and in 552 records, it was reported a FB located in the trachea, bronchi and lungs (ICD934). Unlike the complications that occurred in 70 (12.7%) of cases, the hospitalizations were present in 433 (77.6) of the total injuries. One patient died. A higher incidence in males (63%) was observed. Median age for children who experienced complications was 2 years. The most common FB removal technique was laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy. In majority of the cases, children were treated by ENT department. The most common FBs were nuts, seeds, berries, corn and beans. In general, small, round crunchy foods pose a risk of choking. Since prevention is the most essential key to deal with these types of injuries, more effort in caregivers’ public education is warranted.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health and Microbiology, University of Turin, Via Santena 5bis, 10126, Turin, Italy

    Dario Gregori & Paola Berchialla

  2. ENT Department, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

    Lorenzo Salerni & Desiderio Passali

  3. Department of Statistics and Applied Mathematics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    Cecilia Scarinzi, Silvia Snidero & Roberto Corradetti

  4. ENT Department, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, Turin, Italy

    Bruno Morra

Authors
  1. Dario Gregori
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  2. Lorenzo Salerni
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  3. Cecilia Scarinzi
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  4. Bruno Morra
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  5. Paola Berchialla
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  6. Silvia Snidero
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  7. Roberto Corradetti
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  8. Desiderio Passali
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Consortia

The ESFBI Study Group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dario Gregori.

Appendix: The ESFBI Study Group

Appendix: The ESFBI Study Group

Coordinating Center

Prof. Roberto Corradetti, University of Torino, Italy

Prof. Dario Gregori, University of Torino, Italy

Prof. Desiderio Passali, University of Siena, Italy

Dr Silvia Snidero, University of Torino, Italy

Austria

Prof. Albegger Klaus, Head of the ENT Department, Salzburg, Austria

Dr. Huttegger Isidor, Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendheilkunde, Salzburg, Austria

Dr. Schulz Gernot, Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendheilkunde, Salzburg, Austria

Dr. Bauer Jan, Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendheilkunde, Salzburg, Austria

Belgium

Prof. Bertrand Bernard, Cliniques Universitaires UCL de Mont-Godinne, ENT Department, Yvoir, Belgium

Bulgaria

Prof. Karchev Todor, University Hospital “Tzaritza Joanna”, Sofia, Bulgaria

Prof. Tzolov Tzolo, University Hospital “Tzaritza Joanna”, Sofia, Bulgaria

Croatia

Prof. Mladina Ranko, ORL Department, University Hospital Salata-KBC, Zagreb, Croatia

Dr. Kovac Lana, ORL Department, University Hospital Salata-KBC, Zagreb, Croatia

Czech Republic

Dr. Slapak Ivo, Pediatric ENT Department of Childrens University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic

Denmark

Prof. Tos Mirko, Gentofte University Hospital of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark

Prof. Per Caye-Thomasen, Gentofte University Hospital of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark

Finland

Dr. Pitkäranta Anne, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

Germany

Prof. Jahnke Volker, Charitè Campus Virchow—Klinikum, Berlin, Germany

Dr. Göktas Önder, Charitè Campus Virchow—Klinikum, Berlin, Germany

Greece

Prof. Nikola Simasko, ENT Department, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandrupolis, Greece

Dr. Chroni Matilda, ENT Department, Agia Sophia Children Hospital, Athens, Greece

Dr. Dr Ioannis Christopoulos, ENT Department, Agia Sophia Children Hospital, Athens, Greece

Italy

Prof. Desiderio Passàli, Department of Otorhinolaryngolgy, University of Siena, Italy

Prof. Luisa Bellussi, Department of Otorhinolaryngolgy, University of Siena, Italy

Dr. Giulio Cesare Passàli, Department of Otorhinolaryngolgy, University of Siena, Italy

Dr. Francesco Passàli, Department of Otorhinolaryngolgy, University of Siena, Italy

Dr. Valerio Damiani, Department of Otorhinolaryngolgy, University of Siena, Italy

Poland

Prof. Chmielik Mieczysław, Department of Paediatric Otorhinolaryngology, The Medical University of Warsaw, Poland

Romania

Prof. Sarafoleanu Dorin, Clinica ORL, Sfanta Maria Hospital, Bucharest, Romania

Dr. Sarafoleanu Codrut, Clinica ORL, “Sfanta Maria Hospital”, Bucharest, Romania

Dr. Dan Cristian Gheorghe, Clinica ORL, “Spitalul de Copii Marie Curie”, Bucharest, Romania

Slovakia

Prof. Jakubíková Janka, Pediatric Otolaryngology Department of Medical Faculty of Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia

Slovenia

Prof. Žargi Miha, Department of Otorhinolaryngolgy and Cervicofacial Surgery, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Dr. Grošelj Aleš, Department of Otorhinolaryngolgy and Cervicofacial Surgery, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Dr. Matos Aleš, Department of Otorhinolaryngolgy and Cervicofacial Surgery, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Spain

Prof. Rubio Lorenzo, Jefe de la Unidad ORL—Hospital Ruber International, Madrid Spain

Dr. Cervera Javier, Hospital Niño Jesus, Madrid, Spain

Sweden

Prof. Stierna Pontus, Karolinska University Hospital Huttinge, Stockholm, Sweden

Switzerland

Prof. Pasche Philippe, Service ORL, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland

Dr. Cherif Ahmed, Service ORL, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland

Turkey

Prof. Önerci T. Metin, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

Dr. Çiftçi Arbay Özden, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

Dr. Doğan Riza, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

United Kingdom

Prof. Graham John, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK

Dr. Rea Peter, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK

Dr Obholtzer Rupert, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK

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Gregori, D., Salerni, L., Scarinzi, C. et al. Foreign bodies in the upper airways causing complications and requiring hospitalization in children aged 0–14 years: results from the ESFBI study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 265, 971–978 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-007-0566-8

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