Abstract
Although the acute effects of inhaling a foreign body (FB) have been studied in detail, little is known about the long term consequences for the growing lung. Over the period January 1980 to December 1984 26 children were discharged from this hospital with a bronchoscopically proven diagnosis of foreign body inhalation.
Twenty one children, 14 boys and 7 girls, mean age 2.16 years (range 1 to 5.75) were recalled for clinical assessment, chest radiography and Kr81, ventilation/Tc99m perfusion lung scan (V/Q scan). All except one had inhaled a peanut; in 8 cases the FB lodged in the right lung, in 11 cases it lodged in the left, in one it lodged in the carina, and in one case a FB lodged in both lungs. In 11 cases removal was delayed beyond 7 days. Nine children needed more than one bronchoscopy (max. no. 4).
Mean follow up was 2.05 years (0.38 to 4.8). Fourteen were asymptomatic, 13 had a normal chest X-ray but only 5 had normal V/Q scan. Foreign bodies in the left lung carried a significantly worse prognosis as did the appearance of collapse/consolidation on the initial chest X-ray. Only one of eleven children had a normal lung scan when removal had been delayed beyond seven days.
We conclude that pulmonary sequealae after FB inhalation are not uncommon. Persisting abnormality of regional ventilation is more likely if it lodges in the left lung, if there is collapse/consolidation on the initial chest X-ray or if removal is delayed beyond seven days.
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Davies, H., Gordon, I., Heaf, D. et al. LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES OF INHALING A FOREIGN BODY. Pediatr Res 19, 1096 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198510000-00164
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198510000-00164
