YYÜ Tıp Fakültesi Göğüs Cerrahisi AD. VAN

Aim: Foreign body aspiration may lead to a range of complications from infection related respiratory problems to fatal obstructions. The etiologic factor is frequently reported to be an accident, and parents’ or care-taker’ negligence have also play a role. This research aims to investigate the features of tracheobronchial aspiration cases admitted to Elazığ State Hospital and Van 100. University Medical Faculty Chest Surgery Clinic , and to find out whether these data are consistent with the literature. Methods: 52 pediatric patients who were admitted to our clinics between 1995 and 2007 with the prediagnosis of foreign body aspiration, were retrospectively reviewed in terms of gender, age, complaints, timing of consultation, physical examination findings, radiologic findings, type and, localization of the foreign body, types of treatment given, length of hospitalization, complications and mortality. Results: Of the 52 children, aged between 4 months and 5 years, 33 were girls (63 %) and 19 were boys (37 %). Foreign bodies was detected in 45 out of 52 cases. 21 of the patients were having cough, 11 were found dyspneic and 9 of them had no identifiable findings. The foreign bodies were taken out by rigid bronchoscopy in 43 (82.6 %)cases, and in 2 occaşions through thoracotomy. It has also been revealed that of all the cases, 21 (40.3 %) admitted to the hospital in the first 6 hours, 16 (30.7 %) in 24 hours, 6 (11.5 %) in 15 days, and 9 patients (17.3 %) consulted in the hospital after more than a month elapsed. Conclusion: Cases of childhood tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration have forensic medicine implications, they are mainly accidentally among the children under 5 years of age. A small number of these events occur due to negligence of the parents and caretakers. This series has been compiled to underline the fact that these events can be prevented by simple precautions by parents and care-takers.