Management of foreign bodies in the airway and oesophagus

Ingestion and/or aspiration of foreign bodies (FB) are avoidable incidents. Children between 1 and 3 years are common victims for many reasons: exploration of the environment through the mouth, lack of molars which decreases their ability to properly chew food, lack of cognitive capacity to distinguish between edible and inedible objects, and tendency to distraction and to perform other activities, like playing, whilst eating. Most FBs are expelled spontaneously, but a significant percentage impacts the upper aerodigestive tract. Approximately 80% of children's choking episodes are evaluated by pediatricians. The symptoms of aspiration or ingestion of FBs can simulate different paediatric diseases such as asthma, croup or pneumonia, delaying the correct diagnosis.