Foreign body aspiration during childhood and adolescence (review of 215 cases)

Abstract

The aim of the study is to determine the age and sex distribution and the sort of foreign bodies aspirated during childhood and adolescence. Between April 1987 and March 1998 bronchoscopy was performed for 215 cases. The records of the patients were retrospectively reviewed. 119 (55%) of the patients were female and 96 (45%) of the patients were male. The ages ranged from 3.5 months to 21 years. The story of foreign body inhalation was positive in 88% patients. Thoracotomy was performed for three (1%) patients and we have no mortality. Foreign body aspiration commonly occurs in the first years of life however there was a great tendency to occur in the adolescence age group especially in girls in our province. They were aspirated pins with a maze for wearing an Islamic hair-scarf for being religious. The cases showed us that the kind and age groups of "Foreign Body Aspiration" varies with socioeconomic, cultural and regional conditions.