What clinical signs are typical for aspiration of foreign body?

The most common symptoms of foreign-body aspiration are coughing, choking, and wheezing. Fever, stridor, chest pain, and throat or sternal discomfort occur less frequently. Laryngotracheal foreign bodies present with cough, stridor, hoarseness, and increased respiratory effort.

How is foreign body aspiration diagnosed?

The diagnosis of an aspirated foreign body is based on a combination of the history of the child’s illness, the child’s presenting symptoms, and chest X-rays. If a foreign body in the airway is strongly suspected, a child needs to go to the operating room and have an airway examination performed under anesthesia.

Which of the following is a risk factor for foreign body aspiration?

Risk factors of foreign body aspiration in adults include advanced age, altered state of consciousness due to alcohol or drugs, poor dentition and neurological disorders [6] and it can occur without any underlying risk factors [7]. In adults, they tend to lodge more on right side [8].

What is the most common location for an aspirated foreign body?

Aspirated foreign bodies most commonly are lodged in the right main stem and lower lobe. Aspiration has been documented in all lobes, including the upper lobes, though with less frequency.

When to use chest X-ray for foreign body aspiration?

In case there is a high suspicion of foreign body aspiration by an infant or toddler, but the chest x-ray is inconclusive, fluoroscopy may be attempted. The child is imaged in the lateral decubitus position, lying on the presumed affected side.

How can you tell if a foreign body is aspiration?

Most foreign bodies are radiolucent; therefore, indirect radiologic findings must often be obtained. [ 25] Radiolucent tracheal foreign bodies may show signs of an infraglottic opacity or of swelling from airway inflammation on PA and lateral neck radiographs. [ 26] Plain radiographic results cannot exclude foreign body aspiration.

How often do people die from foreign body aspiration?

Historically, airway foreign bodies have been a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, with approximately 500-2000 deaths occurring each year from foreign body aspiration. [ 1] Although foreign body aspiration most frequently occurs in children, it may occur in adults as well.

When is a child at risk for foreign body aspiration?

Unfortunately, delayed diagnosis is common. Children under the age of four years are at increased risk of foreign body (FB) aspiration, with a slight male predominance 1 . Most children (~70%) are witnessed to have had a choking event at the time of aspiration.