Iqbal A Muhammad Khyani, Ismail Hirani, Syed Iqbal Hussain, Talat Mirza, Jawaid Alam.
Foreign bodies in aero-digestive tract, experience at Civil Hospital Karachi.
Pak J Otolaryngol Jan ;23(1):9-11.

Foreign bodies in aero-digestive tract are the common emergencies dealt by otolaryngologists. These cases are common in children but may also be seen among adults. Children being inquisitive by nature, usually tend to explore things by keeping it in their mouth that might slip and enter in aerodigestive tract. Issues like home neglect or psychological problems are also intricate. There may not be definitive history of foreign body. This is a retrospective study of the cases of foreign bodies in aero-digestive tract encountered in emergency or referred from paediatric department, managed at the department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery of Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital, Karachi, during 2004-2006. Total of 232 cases were recorded during the period. Variables like age, sex, duration, positive history, and mode of presentation, symptoms and signs were studied and the out come noted. Majority of cases were children between 1-5 years. Coin was the commonest foreign body ingested, others include, bones, meat bolus, disk batteries, dentures etc. Betel nut was the commonest foreign bodies aspirated, other includes, whistles, nuts, seeds, screw etc. Aspirated foreign body may pose an emergency situation that must be dealt promptly. Awareness regarding pediatric home care, early diagnosis and prompt management is stressed upon to reduce morbidity and mortality.

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