Tracheobronchial Foreign Body Aspirations for Children

Aim: Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a leading cause of accidental injury and sudden death in childhood. This study aimed to categorize pediatric patients under the age of 16 years with tracheobronchial FBA into distinct age groups, compare gender distribution, assess clinical and radiological findings, characterize the types of aspirated foreign body (FB), and evaluate preventive measures to reduce the incidence of FBA. Material and Methods: This retrospective study included patients under the age of 16 years who were evaluated for suspected tracheobronchial FBA between 2010 and 2019. The patients were categorized into four age groups: ≤3 years, 4-7 years, 8-10 years, and >10 years. Results: Among the 132 patients included, 80 (60.6%) were male, and 52 (39.4%) were female. The FBA was found to be significantly (p=0.003) most prevalent among males aged ≤3 years (72.7%, n=32) and among females aged >10 years (59.2%, n=29). The type of aspirated FB significantly varied by age group, with dried nuts being the most aspirated in children ≤3 years (50.0%, n=22), stationery items in the 8-10 years (47.1%, n=8), and headscarf needles in the >10-year (36.7%, n=18) groups (p