Related Experiment Videos
Laryngo-tracheo-bronchial foreign bodies in children
A Banerjee1, K S Rao, S K Khanna
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India.
Insights
Pediatric foreign body aspiration in the airway is a critical concern, particularly for children under three. Prompt diagnosis and endoscopic removal are vital for successful management and preventing fatal outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Emergency Medicine
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Foreign body aspiration is a significant cause of pediatric respiratory emergencies.
- Timely intervention is crucial to prevent severe morbidity and mortality in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the management of laryngo-tracheo-bronchial foreign bodies in 223 pediatric patients.
- To identify risk factors, diagnostic challenges, and treatment outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 223 children diagnosed with foreign bodies in the airway.
- Review of patient demographics, clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, and treatment strategies.
- Focus on endoscopic removal success rates and complication analysis.
Main Results:
- Children under three years old were most vulnerable; boys predominated.
- A significant percentage lacked a clear inhalation history, and many presented late.
- Endoscopic removal was successful in most cases; organic foreign bodies, especially peanuts, were common.
- The right bronchial tree was the most frequent site of impaction.
Conclusions:
- Foreign body aspiration remains a critical pediatric emergency requiring prompt diagnosis and management.
- Endoscopic removal is highly effective, but delayed presentation poses challenges.
- Awareness and early intervention are key to improving outcomes in pediatric airway foreign bodies.
Abstract:
Inhalation of a foreign body into the respiratory passage can be a serious and sometimes fatal childhood accident. In this paper we analyse the management of 223 children with laryngo-tracheo-bronchial foreign bodies. Children below three years of age were found to be the most vulnerable. The majority of the patients were boys. Over a quarter of the patients did not present with a history of inhalation. Only 52 per cent reported within 24 hours of inhalation. Endoscopic removal was possible in all but nine cases. One hundred and forty eight (66.4 per cent) of the recovered foreign bodies were organic in origin, the majority of them being peanuts. In one hundred and five (47.1 per cent) the objects found their way into the right bronchial tree. There were two deaths. The modalities of diagnosis and management are discussed.