A history of recurrent wheezing can delay the diagnosis of foreign body aspiration in a paediatric emergency department

Abstract

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) into the airways is a potentially life-threatening event, and more frequent in children younger than 3 years of age; it can mimic other diseases by its frequently non-specific clinical and radiological presentation. The commonest misdiagnoses in children are asthma and recurrent respiratory tract infections with wheezing. This often makes it particularly difficult for a timely and proper diagnosis, especially when there is a silent history of FBA (not a rare occurrence in the age group at highest risk). We report a case of a 2-year-old boy who arrived at the emergency department at the Hospital of Ferrara, with dyspnoea, fever and wheezing, which had started 12 h after aspiration of a pistachio. The asymptomatic period after the pistachio aspiration, a history of recurrent wheezing during respiratory infections and the non-specificity of clinical and radiological findings, delayed the right diagnosis of FBA.

Frequency of Various Foreign Bodies Retrieved from the Airway During Bronchoscopy in Children: A Pediatric Tertiary Care Center Experience

“…condition [1]. Around the globe, eight children die every hour due to FBA, and pre-school children are the most affected [2][3].…”

“…Foreign body aspiration (FBA) in pediatric population remains a life-threatening condition [ 1 ]. Around the globe, eight children die every hour due to FBA, and pre-school children are the most affected [ 2 - 3 ].…”

Wheezing of unexpected etiology: A case report of pea aspiration mimicking bronchus obstruction caused by a tumor

“…Foreign body aspiration (FBA) frequently occurs in children aged < 3 years [ 2 ]. However, FBA can also occur in adults, including geriatric patients, particularly those with neurological impairment and drug or alcohol intoxication.…”