Airway foreign bodies; a retrospective review

ABSTRACT

To study the pattern of laryngotracheal foreign bodies in South of Iran and to compare it with other studies. A retrospective chart review of patients who had airway foreign body. From 1991 to 2000. Department of Otolaryngology Khalili Hospital, Shiraz, Iran. Patient characteristics including age, sex, laryngobronchoscopic findings, clinical presentations and history of foreign body aspiration were recorded .Type and site of foreign body aspirated was also recorded to determine the common type and site of foreign body enlodgement in this country. From 1012 patients with airway foreign bodies,683 patients were male and 329 patients were female. Aspiration most commonly occurred in the 1-6 year age group. The most common presenting symptom was cough, dyspnea and chocking. The most common site of foreign body enlodgement was right bronchus and the most common foreign bodies in our area were various types of seeds. Education of physicia ns and public awareness are important steps needed to reduce the morbidity and mortality of foreign body aspiration. Parents should be instructed to abstain from feeding nuts and seeds to young children and to keep small, potentially ingestible objects out of their reach