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Iranian Journal of Pediatrics
Tehran University of Medical Sciences Press
ISSN: 1018-4406 EISSN: 2008-2150
Vol. 18, Num. 2, 2008, pp. 191-192
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Iranian Journal of Pediatrics, Vol. 18, No. 2, June, 2008, pp. 191-192
Foreign Body
Aspiration: A five-year Report in a Children's Hospital
Aliakbar
Rahbarimanesh*1, MD,
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist; Elaheh Noroozi2, MD, Resident in Pediatrics; Mansour Molaian3, MD, Pediatric Surgeoun; Piman
Salamati4, MD, Community Medicine Specialist
1Bahrami Children's Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, IR Iran
* Correspondence author;
Address: Bahrami Children’s Hospital, Damavand Ave, Tehran, IR Iran
E-mail: elahe_norouzi@yahoo.com
Received: 16/06/07; Revised: 15/10/07; Accepted: 17/11/07
Code Number: pe08033
Airway foreign bodies as a
preventable event have been a major cause of morbidity and mortality, resulting
in 500-3000 deaths annually.[1] Foreign body aspiration may result
either in airway compromise and death or in serious sequels such as recurrent
pulmonary infections, atelectasis, or bronchiectasis[2]. To prevent
these complications, prompt diagnosis and removal of the foreign body is
mandatory.
We performed a case series study on 44
children diagnosed as having foreign body aspiration, aged 15 years or younger,
attending Bahrami Children's Hospital in Tehran from October 2001 to October
2006. On the basis of history, physical examination and imaging findings they
all underwent rigid bronchoscopy and foreign body removed from their airways.
The authors recorded children's age and sex, the results of physical
examination, imagings and bronchoscopic findings (type and site of foreign
body, airway injury), primary clinical diagnosis, and the time relapsed between
aspiration and removal of the foreign body.
The prevalence of foreign body aspiration was
highest in children under 3 years of age (77%) and more common in boys (64%).
This is in concordance with other studies[3]. The high incidence in
young children reflects their tendency to explore their world using their
mouths. Furthermore, these children have not yet developed a full posterior
dentition, and neuromuscular mechanisms for swallowing and airway protection
may not be fully mature.
In most studies, the most common reported
symptoms and signs are choking and unilateral decreased breath sounds[4].
In present review, as indicated in table 1,
the most common symptom was coughing (82%), followed by choking (57%). In addition,
9% had normal findings in their physical exam. We conclude that in absence of choking,
bronchoscopy should be preformed if there is evidence of foreign body
aspiration.
Table 1- Signs and symptoms found in
children with foreign body aspiration in Bahrami Children's Hospital 2001-2006
Symptom/sign |
Frequency* (%) |
Coughing |
36
(82) |
Choking |
25
(57) |
Wheeze |
15
(34) |
Dyspnea |
10
(23) |
Cyanosis |
2
(5) |
Wheezing |
18
(41) |
Fever |
13
(30) |
Decreased breath sounds |
2
(27) |
Tachypnea |
9
(20) |
Crackle |
7
(16) |
Stridor |
2
(5) |
Normal exam |
4
(9) |
* In
some patients, more than one finding was found
In previous studies, 34% [5] to 63%
[6] of cases had a delayed bronchoscopy as a result of misdiagnosis,
usually pneumonia. In present study, the primary clinical diagnosis in 29 cases
(66%) was foreign body aspiration, 13 pneumonia, 1 asthma and 1 laryngitis.
This indicates necessity of awareness of
physicians about symptoms and signs of foreign body inhalation and patient
follow up to prevent later complications, delayed treatment and cost waste.
The common site of foreign body in patients'
bronchoscopy in previous studies often was right main bronchus (34% to 67%)
[7,8], which is due to the larger diameter of right main bronchus, the
smaller angel of divergence from tracheal axis on the right and the greater
airflow through the right lung. In contrast, Cleveland[3] has
reported that in children the left main bronchus has quite the same diameter
with the right one. In our study, foreign body was lodged in left main bronchus
in 45% of patients and in right in 43% of them, which is not considerably
different and further studies with more samples are needed to establish whether
there's true difference between the two bronchi.
The time lapsed between aspiration to removal
of foreign body by bronchoscopy in 2 (4%) cases was less than 24 hours, and in
86% of cases bronchoscopy was performed 24 hours after aspiration, which is,
according to many studies, associated with high risk of mortality and morbidity[9].
With respect to the limited number of our
cases, we suggest that similar multicenter studies with more cases be preformed
.In addition, according to findings of this study, awareness of physicians and
pediatricians in approach to patients with foreign body aspiration is of utmost
importance. Furthermore, bronchoscopy must be performed in suspected cases even
with normal physical examination and imaging findings.
References
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