Delayed diagnosis and surgical treatment of bronchial foreign body in children

Background: Delayed diagnosis of children with Bronchial Foreign Body (BFB) leads to significant pulmonary complications and open surgery may not be avoided. However, surgical management for children with BFB is rarely reported. This study aims to describe our experience in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of late-diagnosed BFB during childhood.

Methods: Medical records of 8 children who were diagnosed with BFB and underwent open surgery at Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 2004 and June 2019 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: This group consisted of 8 children, with an average age of 8.1 years. In this group, the typical aspiration history was absent and the diagnosis of BFB was established in delay. The onset of diseases varied from 2 months to over 4 years. Lobectomy was performed in 7 patients and pneumonotomy was performed in 1 patient. No postoperative death was found. The clinical outcomes were satisfactory with an average 33 months follow-up.

Conclusions: The diagnosis of BFB should be considered in children who present with repeated pneumonia and agnogenic bronchiectasis and actelectasis despite repeated medical treatment. Surgical treatment is necessary and effective in patients with either unextractable BFB or irreversible damage of lung tissue.

Levels of evidence: Level IV.

Type of study: Retrospective study.