Foreign Body Ingestion and Aspiration in Iranian Children: Experience of 369 Cases in a Pediatric Unit

Background The spectrum of foreign bodies is various based on specific environment and eating habits in each area. This study was designed to identify the type of foreign bodies, associated symptoms and management of children with ingestion or aspiration of objects. Materials and Methods This descriptive retrospective study reviewed the medical charts of all children under 18 years of age with suspected foreign body aspiration or ingestion who were admitted to Namazee Hospital affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences over a 5-year period from 2013 to 2018. The data recorded in the checklists were analyzed using SPSS software version 22.0. Results Over the five-year study period, 369 children in the age range of 28 days to 18 years with FB ingestion or aspiration were included in this study. Of 264 patients (43.9% girls, 56.1% boys) with a mean age of 3.73± 3.30 years who had referred with foreign body ingestion, an identifiable object was recognized in 245 (92.8%) patients. The most common ingested object was coin (40.9%) followed by disc batteries (15.9%). Foreign bodies had been aspirated in 105 patients (32% girls, 68% boys) with a mean age of 3.1± 2.8 years. The majority of the aspirated objects were seeds (28.6%). Conclusion This study showed the most common ingested FBs were coin and is more commonly located in the esophagus; however, the common aspirated FBs were seeds and lodged preferentially in the right bronchial tree.