Abstract
Objectives: Foreign body inhalation and swallowing remains a major cause of pediatric emergency. This study reports the experience of an upper Saudi ORL department in a year in a population of about 500,000.
Study Design: Prospective Study
Methods: In the period from January to October 2018, 166 patients attended the ear, nose and throat departments complaining of inhaled (34 patients) or swallowed foreign bodies (132 patients). Radiography, Rigid oesophagoscopy, bronchoscopy or both were performed for removal of swallowed or inhaled foreign bodies.
Results: our patients swallowed a variety of objects, the majority being coins (98 = 74%). Our patients inhaled a variety of objects, the majority being sunflowers seeds (8 = 23.5%). The site of inhaled foreign body was the trachea in 22 patients (65%), the right bronchus in 6 patients (18%), the left bronchus in 2 patients (6%) and glottis area in 2 patients (6%). The site of swallowed foreign body was the post-cricoid and upper esophagus in 119 patients (90%), the middle esophagus in 5 patients (4%) and lower esophagus in 3 patients (2%).
Conclusion: Any patient coming with a history of foreign body inhalation or swallowing should undergo endoscopic removal even if the radiographic evidence is negative and examination of chest is normal.