Foreign bodies in the pediatric airway.

In a review of 34 children with foreign bodies in the airway, between 1978 and 1982,24 were males and 10 females. Eighteen of them were between one and two years of age. Vegetable matter was the causative agent in 76-47 percent with 47.06 percent due to a portion of groundnut A history of foreign body aspiration was obtained in 24 patients and obstructive emphysema demonstrated on plain X-ray of the chest in 21 patients. Radioopaque foreign bodies were seen in only 6 patients. Foreign bodies were seen with almost equal frequency on both sides, 13 in the right bronchus and 14 in the left bronchus. All patients had their foreign bodies removed-one through the endotracheal tube, 29 bronchoscopically. 2 by tracheotomy and 2 by bronchotomy. There was no mortality. The details of the diverse clinical presentations, findings and method of treatment are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]