OBJECTIVES: To present the experience from an emerging country, in the bronchoscopic removal of foreign bodies in children. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of medical records from 230 patients treated at the ENT Department, Tuzla University Hospital, Bosnia and Herzegovina, between January 1987 and December 1998. RESULTS: Positive bronchoscopic findings were present in 136 (59.1%) cases. Right bronchus (53.7%) and left bronchus (30.1%) were the most frequent location of extracted foreign bodies. The types of extracted foreign bodies were organic in 114 (83.8%), non-organic in 12 (8.8%) and of an indefinite nature in ten (7.4%) cases. The most frequent type of foreign body was: pumpkin seed (23.4%), peanut (18.4%), bean (14.6%). The nature of the foreign body could not be determined in 7.4% cases: either because the foreign bodies were in the state of disintegration or were too small. Two children (0.87%) died during the bronchoscopy. CONCLUSION: Aspiration of foreign body into tracheobronchial tree in children carries a high risk although prompt treatment of survivors is associated with low mortality. Health care education is the key to prevention.
OBJECTIVES: To present the experience from an emerging country, in the bronchoscopic removal of foreign bodies in children. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of medical records from 230 patients treated at the ENT Department, Tuzla University Hospital, Bosnia and Herzegovina, between January 1987 and December 1998. RESULTS: Positive bronchoscopic findings were present in 136 (59.1%) cases. Right bronchus (53.7%) and left bronchus (30.1%) were the most frequent location of extracted foreign bodies. The types of extracted foreign bodies were organic in 114 (83.8%), non-organic in 12 (8.8%) and of an indefinite nature in ten (7.4%) cases. The most frequent type of foreign body was: pumpkin seed (23.4%), peanut (18.4%), bean (14.6%). The nature of the foreign body could not be determined in 7.4% cases: either because the foreign bodies were in the state of disintegration or were too small. Two children (0.87%) died during the bronchoscopy. CONCLUSION: Aspiration of foreign body into tracheobronchial tree in children carries a high risk although prompt treatment of survivors is associated with low mortality. Health care education is the key to prevention.