Tracheobronchial foreign bodies: a 10 year experience.

BACKGROUND: Our aim is to describe foreign body aspiration in the tracheobronchial tree, a common emergency with serious consequences.

METHODS: We reviewed the records of 357 patients who were admitted to our hospital during a 10-year period for the treatment of aspirated foreign body into the tracheobronchial tree.

RESULTS: Of these cases, 42.4% were male and 57.6% female. Their ages ranged from 4 months to 70 years (average of 10.8 years). The most common manifestation was coughing, with subsequent dyspnea and wheezing. All underwent rigid bronchoscopy for the removal of the foreign body. Foreign bodies were localized in the right bronchial tree in 188 cases (52.7%), the left in 107 cases (30%) and trachea in 39 cases (10.9%). Foreign bodies were not found during bronchoscopy in 23 cases (6.4%). The foreign bodies were: needles (n=125), peanuts (n=110), plastic objects (n=52), and miscellaneous (n=47). Foreign bodies were removed by bronchoscopy in all but six cases (1.7%), who underwent limited thoracotomy. The present series had a mortality of 0.56 percent (two deaths) following removal of foreign body.

CONCLUSIONS: Foreign body aspiration are rapidly recognized from the patient's history and easily treated by bronchoscopy and extraction of the aspirated foreign body. A high index of suspicion is crucial for early diagnosis. However, education is the best preventive measure for decreasing the incidence of this matter.