Long term follow up after inhalation of foreign bodies.

H Davies, I Gordon, D J Matthew, P Helms, I J Kenney, J E Lutkin, W Lenney

Hospital for Sick Children, London.

The long term results of treatment of inhalation of foreign bodies in a district children's hospital and in a tertiary referral centre were reviewed by clinical assessment, chest radiography, and standard four view 81mKr ventilation/99mTc macroaggregated albumin perfusion imaging (V/Q lung scan). The overall incidence in the population served by the district hospital was roughly one in 14,000/year. Of the 12 children reviewed there, three had abnormal chest radiographs and four had abnormal V/Q scans as a result of inhalation of the foreign bodies. Of 21 children treated and reviewed at the referral centre, eight had abnormal chest radiographs, and 14 had abnormal V/Q lung scans. Three factors were assessed for prognostic importance: site of impaction, initial radiographic appearance, and time before removal. A child who had inhaled a foreign body into the left lung and who had collapse/consolidation on the initial chest radiograph was at greatest risk of long term complications. These children merit close follow up.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Shin, S.-M., Kim, W. S., Cheon, J.-E., Jung, A. Y., Youn, B. J., Kim, I.-O., Yeon, K. M. (2009). CT in Children With Suspected Residual Foreign Body in Airway After Bronchoscopy. Am. J. Roentgenol. 192: 1744-1751 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Couriel, J. (2002). Assessment of the child with recurrent chest infections. Br Med Bull 61: 115-132 [Abstract] [Full Text]