Clinical analysis of 50 cases of tracheal bronchus in children / 中华全科医师杂志

ABSTRACT

The clinical data of 50 children with tracheal bronchus, 35 males and 15 females with a mean age of 1.3 months (9 days to 10 years), diagnosed by bronchoscopy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from July 2017 to September 2021 were collected, including gender, age, symptoms, signs, bronchoscopy manifestations, imaging manifestations, associated diseases, and outcomes. There were 26 cases (52%) of severe pneumonia, 14 cases (28%) of recurrent wheezing, 8 cases (16%) of recurrent cough, and 2 cases (4%) of foreign bodies. The clinical symptoms were cough in 45 cases (90%), phlegm in 37 cases (74%), asthma in 28 cases (56%), and fever in 25 cases (50%). The physical signs were wet rale in 33 cases (66%), dry rale in 24 cases (48%), shortness of breath in 23 cases (46%), and triple concave sign in 21 cases (42%). The site of occurrence of tracheal bronchi was the right wall of the lower segment of the trachea. All 50 patients underwent complete pulmonary imaging examinations, but the presence of tracheal bronchus was reported in only 3 cases (6%). There were 24 cases (48%) with other types of tracheal malformations, including 9 cases (18%) of single malacia, 6 cases (12%) of single tracheal stenosis, 1 case (2%) of external tracheal compression, and 8 cases (16%) of multiple tracheal malformations. There were other underlying diseases in 27 cases (54%), congenital heart disease was the most common (17 cases, 34%), followed by premature infants (9 cases, 18%). In addition, there were 3 cases (6%) of chromosomal diseases, esophageal atresia, tracheoesophageal fistula, and polydactyly. All children were discharged after anti-infection and bronchoscopy alveolar lavage. It is suggested that tracheobronchial malformation can cause infection, as well as other tracheal deformities such as tracheal softening and stenosis.