foreign body aspiration

Objective: Tracheobronchial foreign body aspirations comprise the majority of accidental deaths in childhood. Diagnostic delay may cause an increase in mortality and morbidity in cases without acute respiratory failure. We report our diagnostic and therapeutic ...

Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a common cause of respiratory distress between 1 and 3 years of age. Literature on airway foreign bodies in this age group is abundant; however no study has addressed this problem in infants exclusively. This study aimed to review the clinical presentation, management and outcome of infants with tracheobronchial foreign bodies at a referral tertiary care hospital over a decade. 102 infants who underwent bronchoscopy for suspected FBA from 1997 to 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Details of demographic data, clinical features, radiologic and bronchoscopic findings, postbronchoscopy events and eventual outcome were analysed. The mean age was 10.5 months. 8 (7.8%) were 0-6 months of age, the youngest being 2 months. Males outnumbered (72:30) females. 10 (9.8%) presented secondarily after treatment elsewhere, 6 of them were initially misdiagnosed. The onset-presentation interval ranged from 1 day to 3 months, 41 (40.2%) reporting with...

Undiagnosed and retained foreign bodies may result in serious complications such as pneumonia, atelectasis, or bronchiectasis. We reviewed a total of 174 children with foreign body aspiration (FBA). Clinical, radiological, and bronchoscopic findings of these patients were evaluated according to the nature of foreign body and elapsed time from aspiration to diagnosis. Significant differences were noted between patients with organic and inorganic FBA in terms of clinical and radiological findings. Cough, recurrent pneumonia, and fever were the most common presenting symptoms in patients with delayed diagnosis. Long-term follow-up was available for 110 patients for a mean duration of 37.8 +/- 23.7 months (range, 1-88 months). We evaluated the course of recovery after bronchoscopic removal. Organic FBA was of comparable duration as for inorganic FBA, and prolonged follow-up was associated with increased risk of persistent symptoms and bronchiectasis (P < 0.001). The risk of long-term complications increased with increasing elapsed time from aspiration to diagnosis; complications were as high as 60% in children who were diagnosed 30 days after FBA (P = 0.0035). Bronchiectasis was a major complication, found in 25% of patients whose diagnosis was delayed by more than 30 days (P = 0.0001). Three patients with bronchiectasis underwent lobectomy. Patients with persistent asthma-like symptoms such as cough and wheezing required treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators. The positive response to this treatment was thought to be a confirmation of the development of transient bronchial hyperresponsiveness induced by foreign bodies. We conclude that timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment of FBA is important to prevent long-term complications in affected children.

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to investigate the knowledge levels of preschool teachers who work in Denizli city center in Turkey about foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO).
METHODS: The population of this cross-sectional study consists of 432 preschool teachers working in primary schools and kindergartens located in Denizli city center. Participants were administered a questionnaire that consisted of 28 questions. For each participant, the knowledge scores about FBAO were calculated. Each participant can score a minimum of 0.0 and maximum of 28.0 points.
RESULTS: For this study, 204 preschool teachers working in 27 schools were selected. The mean age of the participants was 33.5±5.3 years and 185 (98.4%) were female. Twenty-three (12.2%) of the teachers had previously come across airway obstruction due to foreign body. One hundred forty-two (76.3%) of the participants find their knowledge levels insufficient and 151 (80.7%) of them want to get educated. Teachers’ knowledge score about FBAO was 11.6±5.5. Teachers’ knowledge scores who had two and more children and those who get educated before were higher and teachers’ knowledge scores who want additional education were found to be lower (p=0.010, p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The knowledge level of preschool teachers in Turkey about FBAO was low. Teachers were aware of this insufficiency and they were willing to get educated about this issue.

Keywords: Airway obstruction, child, foreign bodies, school teachers