抄録
During the period of 1972 to 1977, 59 cases of foreign bodies in the tracheobronchial tree were treated in our clinic using the ventilation bronchoscope under general anesthesia, and good results were obtained.
Of the 59 cases, male predominance was 2 to 1, and 45 cases were under three years of age. The youngest patient was 6 months old and the oldest was 69 years old.
Although, various types of foreign bodies were removed, approximately half of the cases involved peanuts.
Generally, the right bronchus was obstructed more frequently than the left. However, in children under six years of age, this tendency was inverted especially in 37 cases involving peanuts. The probable reasons for this difference are discussed in detail in the text.
Fifty eight cases were treated successfully by the first or second trial of removal. Only one case was treated by thoracotomy, because the foreign body (a small plastic bullet) was lodged too peripheral (B9) to remove with the 0.4×20 Jackson's bronchoscope.
