Foreign Body Inhalations Managed by Rigid Bronchoscope Among Children, in Shifa Hospital – Gaza, Palestine.

Abstract

Purpose: To highlight foreign body (FB) inhalation and management by rigid bronchoscope in 
ENT department at Shifa hospital (Gaza-Palestine).  Methods: 150 cases were referred to ENT 
evaluation for possible FB inhalation, 104 (69.3%) with history of FB inhalation and 46 
(30.7%) with history of respiratory illnesses. Patients studied aged 1 month to 8 years.  
Male/female ratio was 63.3/36.  Results: 88 (58.7%) of the cases presented with positive 
foreign body.  Resting site(s) of foreign body: 3 (3.4%) cases presented with foreign bodies in 
the subglottis, 14 (15.9%) in trachea, 46 (52.3%) in right main bronchus, and 25 (28.4%) in left 
main bronchus.  Types of foreign bodies observed: 35 (39.8%) patients examined had water 
melon seeds, 35 (39.8%) had bean, 14 (15.9%) had food particles, and 4 (4.5%) had plastic 
particles.  The majority of patients treated had complete removal of FBs: 147 (98%) from the 
first intervention with bronchoscope and the rest FBs required a second intervention. No 
mortalities occurred amongst patients during the course of this study.  Conclusion: rigid 
bronchoscope is a potentially safe and effective procedure for foreign body removal from the 
respiratory tract.