Extraction of airway foreign bodies in adults: experience from 1987-2008
Montserrat Blanco Ramos 1*,
Alberto Fernandez-Villar 1,
Jose Eduardo Rivo 1,
Virginia Leiro 1,
Eva Garcia-Fontan 1,
Maria Isabel Botana 1,
Maria Luisa Torres 1,
Miguel Angel Canizares 1
1 Vigo University Clinical Hospital, Spain
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: montseblancoramos{at}hotmail.com.
 |
Abstract |
|---|
To determine the incidence and the clinical, radiographic, and endoscopic characteristics of adult patients in our area diagnosed with tracheobronchial foreign bodies (FBs), we have performed a descriptive retrospective study analysing rigid and flexible bronchoscopies practised at our department between 1987 and 2008 in patients older than 14 years. Of the 9781 bronchoscopies performed, 32 involved cases of bronchoaspiration of FBs. The mean age of the patients was 43.81 years (SD 21.43); 65.6% were male and 34.4% were female. Acute or recurrent infection was the most frequent clinical presentation. Chest radiographs provided data for diagnosis in 68% of the cases. The most common FBs aspirated were inorganic (pins and plastic devices 21.4%, each). In conclusion, we can say that in our area tracheobronchial aspiration of FBs by adults is not common. The clinical symptoms are highly variable and the foreign bodies are usually lodged in the right bronchial tree. Keywords: Bronchoaspiration; Foreign body; Fibrobronchoscopy; Rigid bronchoscopy
