A Clinical Study of Foreign Bodies on Upper Aerodigestive Tract

, Hong Kyun Yoo; , Kwang Yoon Jung

Original Article

Korean Journal of Legal Medicine 1990;14(2):59-65.

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Korea University

Abstract

The clinical analysis was performed about 79 cases of foreign bodies in the food and air passage and 11 cases of corrosive esophagitis visited in the our department during 2 years. The results are as follows: 1. Among the 78 cases, the foreign bodies of the food passage outnumbered-those of the air passage, approximately 4.6:1. 2. The most common foreign body was coin (27 cases, 42.2%) In the food passage and plant (10 cases, 71.4%) in the air passage. 3. The male and female ratio was 1 3:1 in the food passage and 6:1 in the air passage. 4. The 25 cases (39.1%) of all esophageal foreign bodies and the 10 cases (71.4%) of all airway foreign bodies occurred under the age of 5 years. 5. The 51 cases (79.7%) in the food passage was in the first narrowing of esophagus and the 8 cases (57.1%) In the air passage was In the right bronchus ; the bronchial foreign bodies was found more common In right bronchus than left In the ratio of 1.6:1. 6. The 38 cases (59.4%) of in the food passage were removed out within a day and the 9 cases (64.3%) m the air passage over 3 days after. 7. Among 11 cases of corrosive esophagitis, the most common causative agent was lye (5 cases, 45.5%) and the most common motive of ingestion was suicide (8 cases, 72.7%).