[Inhalation of foreign bodies].
Accidental aspiration of a foreign body (FB) is an event which is reasonably frequent and dramatic in children and is still today one of the main causes of death due to accidents at home in children up to three-four years of age. The severity of the clinical picture varies according to the size, shape, type and site of arrest of the material aspirated and can be associated with both severe asphyxial forms and forms with insidious and vague symptoms which are difficult to diagnose correctly. A late diagnosis is however a fairly common event in literature. An anamnesis suggesting probable aspiration in a child under the age of 3 should direct doctors towards diagnostic and operative endoscope examinations of the patient, even where there is a negative clinical and radiological picture. Organic material, mainly peanuts, represented 60-75% of the findings, particularly in the 0-3 year age-band. In the other of cases inorganic material was extracted from school-age children. Aspiration of a FB exposes the patient to risk of serious complications and sequelae. Antibiotic, dexamethasone therapy and the ventilation support in the CPAP helped to avoid post-extractive sequelae. Prevention should in any case be the primary aim as regards to aspiration of foreign bodies in children. This should be stimulated by appropriate educational campaigns to raise awareness. The study included 62 child patients observed in the Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care of the S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital of Bologna over the last 11 years who were admitted for suspected FB aspiration.
Pigna
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Servizio di Anestesia e Rianimazione, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna. picu@orsola-malpighi.med.unibo.it
Bachiocco
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V
De Rose
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R
Gentili
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Landuzzi
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V
Pasini
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L
Baroncini
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S
D001237:Asphyxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung; D012189:Retrospective Studies
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