Unusual aero-digestive foreign bodies: tribulations and tragedies

Aero-digestive foreign bodies are a common occurrence in infants and children. The manifestations, hazards and consequences depend upon the location, nature of the foreign body and the time lapse. This communication reports a series of four cases with unusual course and consequences of aero-digestive foreign bodies. These were generalized tetanus, hypernatremia and metabolic acidosis with intra-cranial hemorrhage and severe pneumonia and empyema. Awareness of these consequences would help treating doctors to take appropriate steps in devising preventive and therapeutic strategies.