[Aspiration of foreign bodies in the bronchi in children].
Records on 28 children (19 boys and 9 girls), mean age 3.1 years (range 6 months to 11 years), treated for foreign body aspiration (FBA) at the Department of Pediatrics, Split Clinical Hospital, during the 1992-1997 period, were analyzed. The mean hospital stay was 12.3 days (range 1 h to 92 days). History data on tracheobronchial FBA were available in 23 (82%) children. Radiologic findings pointed to FBA in 22 (77%) children. Rigid tracheobronchoscopy was performed in all patients, and proved successful in 26 (93%) of children. Digestible foreign bodies and food particles were removed in 22 (78%) children. Right-sided and left-sided bronchial FBA was recorded in 14 (50%) and 13 (46%) patients, respectively, whereas bilateral obstruction was present in one patient. The importance of suspected FBA in children with pronounced symptoms of coughing, dyspnea and choke is emphasized. Rigid tracheobronchoscopy and foreign body removal by forceps under anesthesia is an efficient and safe method, and we recommend its wider use in clinical practice.
Gluncić
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I
Odjel za djecje bolesti, KB Split.
Pavlov
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N
Gluncić
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V
D001980:Bronchi; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D001239:Inhalation; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies