[Inhaled foreign bodies in 50 patients in South Vietnam, mainly caused by naseberry (Sapodilla)].

Inhalation of foreign bodies is relatively frequent in children, but exceptional in adults. Various kinds of foreign bodies can be inhaled, the type generally depends on eating habits in adults. We reviewed a series of 50 consecutive cases of inhaled foreign bodies and found that naseberry fruits (Sapodilla plum) was the primary cause, followed by bone debris. This series is typical of Eastern Asia, particularly South Vietnam. Most of the foreign bodies were extracted under local anesthesia using fibroscopy with a foreign body forceps. Most of the foreign bodies were on the right side. The naseberry nut is not radio-opaque, so diagnosis was generally established late after infectious complications. The endoscopic aspect was typical and should be recognized by endoscopists working in Vietnam.