Long term follow up after inhalation of foreign bodies.
The long term results of treatment of inhalation of foreign bodies in a district children's hospital and in a tertiary referral centre were reviewed by clinical assessment, chest radiography, and standard four view 81mKr ventilation/99mTc macroaggregated albumin perfusion imaging (V/Q lung scan). The overall incidence in the population served by the district hospital was roughly one in 14,000/year. Of the 12 children reviewed there, three had abnormal chest radiographs and four had abnormal V/Q scans as a result of inhalation of the foreign bodies. Of 21 children treated and reviewed at the referral centre, eight had abnormal chest radiographs, and 14 had abnormal V/Q lung scans. Three factors were assessed for prognostic importance: site of impaction, initial radiographic appearance, and time before removal. A child who had inhaled a foreign body into the left lung and who had collapse/consolidation on the initial chest radiograph was at greatest risk of long term complications. These children merit close follow up.
Davies
H
H
Hospital for Sick Children, London.
Gordon
I
I
Matthew
D J
DJ
Helms
P
P
Kenney
I J
IJ
Lutkin
J E
JE
Lenney
W
W
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000209:etiology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013997:Time Factors