Foreign body inhalation in patients with persistant cough

ABSTRACT

596 patients persistent cough were collected from the Pediatrics, Chest and Cardiothoracic Surgery departments of Assiut and Menia University Hospitals. The patients were classified into four groups. Group A [39] had a definite history of foreign body inhalation. Group B [18] had a suggestive history. Group C [27] had clinical and/or radiological features suggestive of respiratory obstruction. Group D [512] had neither a history of foreign body inhalation nor features of respiratory obstruction. All patients in groups A, B and C and 4 from group D, were subjected to bronchoscopy at the Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit of Assiut University Hospital. Foreign bodies were found in 9.7% of patients studied. They were present in 90%, 61%, 30% and 0.8% of groups A, B, C and D, respectively. Right thoracotomy was performed in one case because the foreign body penetrated the bronchial tree. History taking was found to be the most important factor in diagnosis. Some unusual cases were discussed