Abstract:

Background: Foreign body ingestion/insertion is common in children. There are many cases which are encountered which at ENT clinic at Bugando medical centre. The majority are children. Different types of foreign bodies were observed and were also found in different routes, that is, ear, nose or throat (oesophagus and trachea). This study was conducted to show the prevalence of types of foreign body and route of entry among children from 0 to 12 years of age and also to see the procedures used for the removal and complication which could arise.

Methodology: This study was based on retrospective cross sectional study of the children with foreign body who attended to ENT clinic at Bugando medical centre from July 2014 to July 2015. Age of children was from 0 to 12 years. The data was collected from registries in the ward, patient’s files from medical record department and the theatre books. Ethical approval to conduct the study was sought from ethics and research committee of CUHAS – Bugando and it was granted. The director of Bugando medical centre granted the permission to conduct the research at Bugando medical centre. Confidentiality was observed. The statistical data analysis was performed using SPSS and presented in tables.

Results: A total of 155 children with foreign body were studied. The prevalence of type of foreign was coin 67 (43.2%) followed by groundnuts or peanut 22 (14.2%). Among the children who were studied, 88 (56.8%) children with foreign body were between 0 to 3 years. The prevalent route was oesophagus 85 (54.8%). The most common procedure which was used to remove the FB was oesophagus 85 (54.8%). The most common procedure which was used to remove the FB was oesophagoscopy and removal of FB by crocodile forceps or magil forceps. There were no many complication which resulted due the procedure removal.

Conclusion: The peak incidence of foreign body according to this study occurred in between children of 1 to 3 years of age. Coins and groundnuts or peanuts are objects which were mostly ingested or inhaled with. Thus it is necessary for the parents and guardians to take precaution and keep out of reach of children all objects which are dangerous to the children, especially those can be ingested, inhaled or inserted by children.