The Study Of 50 Cases Of The Foreign Body Of The
Tracheobronchial Tree
3344-3347
Correspondence
goyal D K
email
Background and Aim.: The lower respiratory tract extends from the vocal cords to the
bronchus. Any type of foreign body can accidentally lodge at this site and it can become a life
endangering emergency. This study was done in the region of Bikaner, Rajasthan, where the
people are involved in the farming of peanuts and watermelon, and their children are prone
to the inhalation and the lodging of peanuts and the seeds of watermelon in the respiratory
tract. The adults and the elderly are used to chewing supari and they keep supari in their
mouth while sleeping. So, they are prone to the inhalation and the lodging of supari in the
respiratory tract.
Material and Methods: This is a prospective study which has been done on 50 cases of
foreign body lodging in the respiratory tract. The patients who had symptoms of respiratory
distress, stridor, the intercoastal retraction of the muscles and a history of chocking,
underwent clinical examination of the chest for unequal air entry. Chest X-ray and rigid
bronchoscopy were done in these patients. These patients were classified according to their
age incidence, gender, rural/ urban status and the type of foreign body and its location.
Results: The minimum age of the patients was 1.5 years and the maximum age was 75 years.
78% patients were males and 22% patients were females, while 83% patients were from rural
areas and 17% were from urban areas. The most common type of foreign bodies which were
lodged, were peanuts, followed by supari, watermelon seeds, stones and balloons. The
commonest location of lodging was the right bronchus.
Discussion: The bronchus is the commonest location for foreign body lodging in Bikaner due
to the life style of the people in that place. The people of this region grow peanuts in their
farms and their children are prone to choking by the lodging of peanuts in their bronchus.
The adults and the elderly are used to chewing supari and they keep supari in mouth during sleeping.