Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration: A 13-year retrospective analysis

Introduction. Foreign body aspiration into the respiratory tract remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in clinical practice, especially in young children, who are the most frequently affected age group. The aim of this study was to present the results of treating the patients with foreign body aspiration in all age groups. Material and Methods. The medical and radiological records of 64 patients with confirmed foreign body out of 146 patients with suspected foreign body aspiration were retrospectively analyzed during the period of 13 years (from 2001 to 2013). Results. A foreign body was found in 64 (44%) of the 146 patients of all age groups with suspected foreign body aspiration. The patients’ age ranged between 11 months and 80 years. There were 84% children and 16% adults, and 63% of patients were male. Time between the moment of aspiration and admission to the Department ranged between 0.5 hours and 14 days, with majority of patients (70%) being admitted during the first 24 hour. History of respiratory drama was present in 92% of patients. Physical and radiological findings were positive in 66% and 47% of patients, rescpectively. Organic vegetable foreign bodies accounted for 75% of all cases, and they were most frequently found in the right main bronchus (63%). All foreign bodies were successfully extracted by rigid bronchoscopy, without serious complications and fatal outcomes. Conclusion. Bronchoscopy should be performed in any case of suspected foreign body aspiration, even if clinical and radiological findings are normal, in order to avoid serious and possible life-threatening complications. More should be done to raise awareness of this potentially preventable condition.