Delayed diagnosis of a pediatric airway foreign body: case report and review of the literature.
Foreign body aspiration is a common pediatric problem that affects children of all ages, including those who are well into their adolescence. We describe the case of a 9-year old boy with an airway foreign body that had gone unrecognized for 3 months. We also review the literature on pediatric airway foreign bodies, with a focus on delayed diagnosis. A diagnosis of foreign body aspiration should be considered whenever a previously healthy child suddenly exhibits unexplained symptoms that are refractory to medical treatment and are consistent with airway obstruction.
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx; D008297:Male