The foreign bodies in lower respiratory tract in pediatric patients treated in referral academic department of pediatric otolaryngology

Introduction. Foreign bodies in lower respiratory tract for many years are big challenge for otolaryngologists. These objects could present variability of clinical symptoms. Increase of infection and mortality due to delay of accurate diagnosis. Interview is the most important part of examination of patient with suspected foreign body in airways. Any suspicion of aspiration is qualification to diagnostic bronchoscopy. Aim. This paper refers occurrence assessment, clinical course, diagnostic process and treatment of the pediatric patients with suspected foreign body in lower respiratory tract hospitalized in referral Academic Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology. Material and methods. Retrospective analysis of 74 patients with suspected foreign body in lower respiratory tract, who were hospitalized in Clinical Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology in Warsaw Medical University in 2016-2018. Analysis includes demographic data, occurrence frequency, localization and the type of foreign body, diagnostic process and treatment. Results. This study includes 42 boys (57%) and 32 girls (43%) in age of 8 months to 16-year-old. The episode of choking occurs in interview in 71 patients (96%). Foreign bodies in lower respiratory tract were confirmed and evacuated in bronchoscopy procedure in 44 cases (59.5%). In 30 cases (40.5%) there were any foreign body in airways. The most common group of patients admitted to Clinic with suspected foreign body in airways was children in age between 1 to 3-year-old, which accounted for 22 cases (50%). Coughing was the most commonly reported symptom (54.5%), wheezing (27.5%) and dyspnea (15.9%). Twenty-three patients were presenting wheezing and whirring in physical examination. Air trap found in thorax x-ray were in 22 patients (45%). The right main bronchus was the most common place of foreign body retention – 22 patients (50%). The organic foreign bodies were in 32 cases (72.7%) and non-organic in 12 (27.3%). The nuts were the most common foreign body aspirated to airways. Conclusions. Foreign body aspiration should be suspected in every patient, not only those with choking episode but also with patients who presents ambiguous change in physical examination and x-ray scan. In pediatric patient with suspected foreign body in lower respiratory tract, in every time the bronchoscopy is needed to be done, even in patients with no abnormalities in physical examination and x-ray scan.