A retrospective study of anaesthetic management of foreign bodies in airway- a two half years experience

A retrospective analysis of medical records of 76 children of suspected foreign bodies (FB) in airway posted for rigid bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia was done. Patients were 9 months to 11 years old. Seventy eight percent patients were between the age of 9 months to 4 years 22% patients were above the age of four years. Seventy one percent patients were male and 29% patients were female. In 16% (n=12) patients no FB was found while in 82.7% (n=63) patients vegetative FB like peanut, custard apple, gram and turdal, tamarind seed, garlic, chilli, coconut piece and non-vegetative foreign body i.e. ear-ring was found in 1 case. In 17 % patients foreign body was located in subglottic region, in 59 % patients FB was in right main bronchus and in 24% patients it was in left main bronchus. In 33 % patients bronchoscopy was done within 72 hours of appearance of symptoms while in 51% patients bronchoscopy was done after 72 hours to one week of appearance of symptoms. In 16% patients bronchoscopy was done after one week. Twenty percent patients required tracheostomy and 3% patients required bronchodilators, nebuliza-tion and ventilatory support in immediate post operative period. All patients were managed under general anaesthesia using ketamine, suxamethonium, oxygen and halothane. All patients were ventilated through side arm of ventilating bronchoscope.All patients were discharged from hospital no death was reported.