2004 Volume 55 Issue 6 Pages 454-460
We retrospectively analyzed 42 inpatients with a foreign body lodged in the larynx, trachea or bronchus at Mie University Hospital from 1983 to 2003. Many patients were children, and 25 patients (57% of total) were less than 2 years old. We were able to diagnose and treat 17 patients (39%) within 24 hours after occurrence of the foreign bodies. However, in 12 patients (27%), more than a week passed between the occurrence and the diagnosis. Clinical symptoms included cough (52%), fever (23%) and stridor (20%). We detected abnormal findings such as emphysema, the foreign body itself, atelectasis and mediastinal deviation by chest X-ray or CT scan. Most of the foreign bodies were removed using a ventilation bronchoscope under general anesthesia. The bilateral main bronchi were the regions where foreign bodies were found at a high rate. A peanut was the foreign body found with the highest rate. All inpatients with peanut foreign bodies were children 5 years old or under. Therefore, to prevent the occurrence of a peanut foreign body, we consider it important to educate parents not to give peanuts to their babies and young children.
