• A A Ahmed.
• Department of Surgery, Medical Faculty, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
• East Afr Med J. 1996 Apr 1; 73 (4): 242-4.

AbstractFifty eight children underwent rigid bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia for suspected aspirated foreign bodies. There were 36 boys and 22 girls with a median age of thirty three months. Physical examination showed decreased breath sounds and wheezing over the affected site in forty seven cases. Chest x-rays were diagnostic in eleven cases showing definite radiopaque shadow and suggestive of aspirated foreign body in thirty five (60%). Three patients had negative results of bronchoscopy (5.2%). Extraction of foreign bodies was performed by forceps under direct vision at bronchoscopy in fifty five patients. Two children had an intraoperative hypoxic arrest. Post endoscopic complications included mild to moderate croup in fifteen patients (26%), fever in four and pneumothorax in one. Rigid bronchoscopy of aspirated foreign bodies in children is a safe, effective and often life saving procedure. Morbidity is low and although mortality was 1.8% in this series zero mortality should be achievable.

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