Foreign Bodies of the Respiratory Tract

Aspirated foreign bodies, whether in the upper airway, or the lower airway continue to present challenges to physicians who care for children in the acute setting. Appropriate maneuvers to relieve foreign body upper airway obstruction are age dependent. With children and infants who have foreign bodies in their lower airway, a high index of suspicion is required in order to make a timely diagnosis. Often the initial choking events are not witnessed, and the delayed symptoms may mimic other common conditions. Proper anticipatory guidance and education is the optimal way of reducing the tragic outcomes of choking events. This article reviews the current principles in the management of children and infants with foreign bodies in their respiratory tracts.