title: [Small foreign bodies in the lungs of children--treatment or observation?].
abstract: The diagnosis of foreign body aspiration may easily be missed. Three children younger than three years of age inhaled, respectively, popcorn, a plastic pearl, and a piece of tape to the lungs. The children were admitted to the paediatric department under strong clinical suspicion of foreign body inhalation, but were discharged with minor symptoms and after normal X-ray investigation. Two of the children expelled their foreign body (tape and popcorn) after three days and three weeks, respectively, whereas the plastic pearl was removed by bronchoscopy after six months. X-ray investigation of the lungs are of limited value in the exclusion of presence of small inhaled foreign bodies. Children with minor symptoms suspected of having inhaled foreign bodies may possibly be observed for a short period in order to see if the foreign body is expelled spontaneously. However, the children should be carefully followed up, and bronchoscopy should be considered at all times.
authors.affiliation: Sinsen legesenter Mailundveien 23 0569 Oslo.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knudtzon
mesh_terms: D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography