Bronchoscopic removal of foreign bodies from children in Bosnia and Herzegovina: experience with 230 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To present the experience from an emerging country, in the bronchoscopic removal of foreign bodies in children.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of medical records from 230 patients treated at the ENT Department, Tuzla University Hospital, Bosnia and Herzegovina, between January 1987 and December 1998.


RESULTS
Positive bronchoscopic findings were present in 136 (59.1%) cases. Right bronchus (53.7%) and left bronchus (30.1%) were the most frequent location of extracted foreign bodies. The types of extracted foreign bodies were organic in 114 (83.8%), non-organic in 12 (8.8%) and of an indefinite nature in ten (7.4%) cases. The most frequent type of foreign body was: pumpkin seed (23.4%), peanut (18.4%), bean (14.6%). The nature of the foreign body could not be determined in 7.4% cases: either because the foreign bodies were in the state of disintegration or were too small. Two children (0.87%) died during the bronchoscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
Aspiration of foreign body into tracheobronchial tree in children carries a high risk although prompt treatment of survivors is associated with low mortality. Health care education is the key to prevention.
Brkić
F
F
ENT Department, Tuzla University Hospital, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Delibegović-Dedić
S
S
Hajdarović
D
D
D017677:Age Distribution; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina / Q000453:epidemiology; D001980:Bronchi; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007830:Larynx; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014132:Trachea; D016896:Treatment Outcome