TRACHEOBRONCHIAL FOREIGN-BODY ASPIRATION IN CHILDREN

In this retrospective study, we reviewed the demographic and radiograp hic findings of 155 children with bronchoscopy-proven tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration (FBA). Two thirds of the patients were male, and most were children between 1 and 2 years of age. An aspirated pean ut accounted for one third of all cases. Foreign body location was dis tributed nearly evenly to the right and left primary bronchi; tracheal foreign body was noted in 16 patients. The most frequent symptoms of FBA were cough (85 patients): and wheezing (60 patients). Although mos t patients were seen within 1 day of aspiration, 30 patients had sympt oms that lasted at least I week before diagnosis. The most common radi ographic findings were unilateral or segmental hyperlucency (59) or at electasis (38). The trachea was the site of the foreign body in one ha lf of children with a normal chest radiograph and FBA.