• N Krifa, M Belcadhi, R Mani, M Abdelkefi, and K Bouzouita.
• Hópital Farhat Hached, Service d'ORL et de Chirurgie Cervico-Faciale, Sousse, Tunisie. krifanesrine@yahoo.fr
• Rev Laryngol Otol Rhinol (Bord). 2009 Jan 1;130(2):111-5.

ObjectiveThis retrospective study aims to establish an algorithm indicating a bronchoscopy, based on clinical and radiological criteria predictive of the presence of a foreign body (FB), in children with prolonged respiratory symptoms and no history of foreign body aspiration (FBA); to establish a study of these criteria and to compare the clinical, radiological and broncoscopic findings in such cases.MethodsWe chose to review the records of 73 children (age < or = 15 years) with prolonged respiratory symptoms (for at least 15 days) and no history of FBA who underwent bronchoscopy at our institution between 1996 and 2005.ResultsThe mean age was 3 years and 2 months, the majority of the patients were between 1 and 3 years of age (56%), 59% of the patients were boys and the mean of evolution of symptoms before the broncoscopy was 3 months and 3 weeks. We found a foreign body (FB) in 17 cases (23.2%). The FBs were in 88.2% of the cases of vegetable origin. A granulation tissue was associated in 47% of positive bronchoscopies. There were no complications related to bronchoscopy. The clinical and the radiological findings were no specific of FBs.ConclusionBronchoscopy must be indicated in suspected cases of FBA to prevent delayed diagnosis and pulmonary sequelae. The clinical and radiological findings may help the clinician to indicate it.

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