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Tracheobronchial foreign bodies in children
J H Ben Amer1, C Kareemullah, M H Ben Amer
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Garyounis, Benghazi, Libya.
Insights
Rigid bronchoscopy is a safe procedure for children with persistent respiratory symptoms. This expert-performed intervention is recommended when cough, infection, or stridor do not improve with antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Thoracic Surgery
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
Background:
- Persistent cough, chest infection, or stridor in children often warrant further investigation beyond standard antibiotic therapy.
- Foreign body aspiration is a common cause of such symptoms in pediatric patients.
- Rigid bronchoscopy is a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for evaluating the tracheobronchial tree.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of rigid bronchoscopy in pediatric patients.
- To determine the diagnostic yield of rigid bronchoscopy for foreign bodies in children.
- To establish indications for rigid bronchoscopy in pediatric respiratory conditions.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 534 pediatric bronchoscopies performed between August 1988 and May 1995.
- Analysis of patient demographics, including age and sex distribution.
- Documentation of findings, including presence and location of foreign bodies.
Main Results:
- Rigid bronchoscopy identified foreign bodies in 332 out of 534 cases (62.2%).
- The right bronchus was the most common site for foreign body impaction.
- Peanuts were the most frequently encountered foreign body type.
- The procedure demonstrated a high diagnostic yield in identifying tracheobronchial abnormalities.
Conclusions:
- Rigid bronchoscopy is a safe and effective procedure when performed by experienced specialists in children.
- It is indicated for pediatric patients with persistent respiratory symptoms unresponsive to antibiotics.
- Early consideration of rigid bronchoscopy can aid in the diagnosis and management of foreign body aspiration.
Objective:
The objective of this study is to prove that rigid bronchoscopy is a relatively safe procedure in experts' hands and should be carried out in children whenever symptoms like persistent cough, chest infection or stridor persist despite proper antibiotic therapy.
Methods:
A review of 534 bronchoscopies in children was carried out between August 1988 and May 1995. Three hundred and fifteen were male and 219 were female children. The most common age was between 1 and 2 years while the mean age being 1 year 10 months.
Results:
Out of 534 bronchoscopies, 332 were positive for foreign bodies in the tracheosbronchial tree and 202 were negative. The most common site of lodgment of foreign body was the right bronchus. The clinical presentation was variable. An increase in the number of cases was observed. A variety of foreign bodies were encountered, the majority being peanuts.
Conclusion:
In our opinion rigid bronchoscopy is a relatively safe procedure and should be carried out in children whenever symptoms like persistent cough, chest infection or stridor persist despite proper antibiotic therapy.