抄録
Foreign bodies in the respiratory tract are highly dangerous and need to be treated immediately and appropriately by the otolaryngologist.
In our Department of Otolaryngology over the 20 years from 1981 to 2000, we treated 91 cases of tracheo-bronchial foreign bodies, an incidence of 4.6 cases per year. Two-thirds of patients were male, and 62.6% were 1 year old. Foreign bodies removed in 69.2% of patients were peanuts or other kinds of beans.
Initial symptoms were typically cough, stridor and cyanosis.
The pediatric department performed the initial examination of 50% of patients, and otolaryngologists initially examined only 13.2% of patients.
The accord rate between the unilateral decreased lung sound, emphysema, or atelectasis and the foreign body was high (80.6%, 67.6%, 90.0%).
Chest CT examination was useful to check for the presence of foreign body in the respiratory tract.
It is important for the otolaryngologist to enlighten society on the possible life-threatning danger of respiratory tract foreign bodies in infants.
