Incidence of foreign body aspiration in children at Qatif central hospital

ABSTRACT

A retrospective study was conducted over a period of three years starting January 1988 through December 1990. The total number of pediatric patients admitted to pediatric Medical Ward was 9057, out of which 15 patients were diagnosed to have foreign body aspiration, making an incidence of 1.6/1000 admission. There were 9 males and 6 females with a ratio of 1.51 The age group ranged between 6 months to 8 years. 5 patients were less than a year old [33 percent], while 6 patients [40 percent] were between, 2-3 years old. The commonest symptoms these patients had were, cough in 14 patients [93 percent], difficulty in breathing in 11 patients [73 percent], decreased air entry in 9 patients [64 percent], wheezing in 8 patients [57 percent], and fever in 3 patients [21 percent]. The foreign bodies were found in the right bronchus in 10 patients [66 percent], in the left bronchus in 4 patients [26 percent] and in the trachea in one patient [6 percent]. One patient died, making a case fatality rate of 6.6 percent