Introduction Airway foreign bodies are prevalent in our part of the country. It remains one of
the main causes of morbidity and mortality especially in children under 3 years. Time
since inhalation, site of lodgement, size of the foreign body is responsible for a
wide variety of symptoms. These factors are also prognostic indicators in a patient
with foreign body inhalation.
Aim To assess the morbidity and mortality in patients with foreign body inhalation with
respect to time since inhalation, site of lodgement, size of foreign body.
Methods and methodology Cross-sectional study on patients with aerodigestive foreign bodies who visited our
hospital from July 2015 to september 2019.
Results Overall mortality in our series was 6.1 % of which 42.8 % was in those who presented
within 1-6 hours and 40 % in those who presented after 1 month. The duration of hospital
stay was more than 7 days in 60 % of patients who presented after 1 month. Mortality
is increased with FB lodged in subglottis or trachea accounting for 60 % of the overall
mortality.
Conclusion Time since inhalation, site of lodgement, and size of foreign body significantly
affects the outcome in patients with foreign body inhalation.
