Does the time between aspiration and retrieval of an airway foreign body affected the pediatric patient’s outcome? During the American Broncho-Esophagological Association annual meeting, held as part of the 2007 Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting in San Diego, Matthew Lutch, MD, from the Department of Head and Neck Surgery/ Otolaryngology at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Oakland, CA, presented his study that specifically addressed this question.
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November 2007Our research sought to determine if there was a temporal trend toward more frequent complications and poorer outcomes in pediatric patients with suspected and diagnosed foreign body aspirations [FBA], said Dr. Lutch. We wanted to validate our practice patterns to determine if deferring airway endoscopy to the following morning resulted in worse outcomes.
At our institution, we approach each pediatric patient with a suspected or known FBA on an individual basis, continued Dr. Lutch. A comprehensive assessment including, but not limited to, detailed history, physical exam, plain film radiography, and oximetry, is completed. For those patients who are entirely stable and present after hours, we routinely admit them and schedule a laryngotracheobronchoscopy for the next operative day.