Foreign bodies of the lower respiratory tract in children

Abstract

Foreign bodies of the lower respiratory tract in children is one of the major life-threatening emergencies in children, having a high rate in the structure of infant mortality. This patology represents about 11% of otorhinolaryngological emergencies [2]. In the USA the statistics recorded eloquent data over a year. The intra-hospital mortality rate associated with these cases accounts for 1,8%, and anoxic brain injury is reported in 2,2% of cases. Thus, foreign body aspiration was diagnosed mainly in children aged 1-3 years, with the frequency of 56%, and the death rate of 7% [5]. Foreign bodies enter to the body by natural ways and have a diverse location, depending on their size, shape and nature. The most common location of foreign bodies is in the bronchi of the right lung, followed by the left bronchial tree and most rarely, in the trachea. Very rarely, are encountered foreign bodies with multiple locations [6]. In the etiological structure, foreign bodies of organic origin predominate - 15%, especially foreign bodies of plant origin - 75-81%, less frequently metallic foreign bodies - 10% and plastic - 5% [2,5]. Statistical age analysis of foreign body aspiration cases reported that, 21% cases are determined in children after the age of 6 months, more than half cases - in child 1-3 years and 1⁄4 cases - in children older than 3 years [1,3].