title: Epidemiology of foreign bodies injuries in Ecuador: a first look based on a single centre experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The analysis of foreign bodies (FB) injuries in the upper aero-digestive tract is not available for Ecuador and in this context, the present article represent the is the first presenting to the international community the basic epidemiological data on the Ecuador's experience on foreign bodies juries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on 258 cases were gleaned using Susy Safe database, choosing the cases coming from Ecuador's institutions, namely Francisco De Icaza Bustamante Children Hospital, in Guayaquil (Ecuador) which collects data on children injuries due to foreign bodies with the aid of a standardized case report forms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients showed a female:male ratio of 1:1.2. Fifty-three percent of the children were younger than 2 years of age, with a mean age of 3.22 years. The most frequent location of retrieval was the oesophagus (37.98%) followed by the ears (34.88%). Coins were the most frequent cause of accident (37.21%). Seeds and grain were the most frequent food FBs and they were seen in 13.95% of cases. Adult presence was recorded in 113 cases. There was indeed a significant correlation between the presence of an adult and the activity that the children were doing when the incident occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first breach into the analysis of injuries in Ecuador gives the confirmation that the results coming from country's data agreed with the general Susy Safe ones. Similar preventive strategies are therefore highly recommended, stressing that primary prevention has the main role in children's protection.
authors.affiliation: Francisco De Icaza Bustamante Children Hospital, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Fernando Silva
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Chacon
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ballali
authors.forename: Desiderio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Passali
authors.forename: Giselle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cuestas
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burbano
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quintero
authors.forename: Giulio Cesare
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Passali
authors.forename: Francesco Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Passali
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Foltran
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bellussi
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gregori
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004423:Ear; D004484:Ecuador; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D012137:Respiratory System; D012307:Risk Factors