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Pediatric aerodigestive foreign body injuries are complications related to timeliness of diagnosis
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Pediatric aerodigestive foreign body injuries are complications related to timeliness of diagnosis

M Smith, J Reilly, J Thompson, R Smith, C MacArthur, S Pransky, D Beste, S Gray, S Manning, M Walter, …
The Laryngoscope, Vol.107(1), pp.17-20
01/1997
DOI: 10.1097/00005537-199701000-00006
PMID: 9001259

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Abstract

Foreign body (FB) injury from aspiration or ingestion is a common pediatric health problem. Diagnosis relies on clinical judgment plus medical history, physical examination, and radiographic evaluation. A multi-institutional review of 1269 FB events revealed that 85% were correctly diagnosed following a single physician encounter. However, 15% of the children had an elusive diagnosis (>1 week), despite previous evaluation. Delays in diagnosis were seven times more likely to occur in aspirations than in ingestions. Secondary injuries (e.g., pneumonia and atelectasis) occurred in 13% of airway FBs but in only 1.7% of esophageal FBs. Plain radiographs were used in 82% of children, and special studies (e.g., fluoroscopy) in only 7%. We conclude that diagnosis of FB injury in children is frequently achieved at the initial evaluation but that continued surveillance by follow-up visits to health care facilities from parents and other caretakers is important, to reduce pulmonary injuries.
 Esophagus Respiratory System Humans Child, Preschool Infant Male Inhalation Deglutition Adolescent Female Foreign Bodies - complications Retrospective Studies Child Infant, Newborn

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