Introduction: The aspiration of a foreign body is usually combined with acute clinical symptoms requiring immediate medical intervention. Nevertheless, in approximately one third of patients the symptoms of aspiration are less prominent; such a clinical condition is called occult bronchial foreign body (OBFB). The aim of our study was to assess the frequency of OBFB in the pulmonary unit of a district hospital and to evaluate the diagnostic difficulties and treatment modalities in such patients.
Material and methods: The examined group consisted of patients hospitalized in the Department of Lung Diseases in Radom District Hospital. A retrospective analysis of medical records was preformed.
Results: In the period 1978-2008 - 12 patients (10 males, 2 females) were hospitalized due to OBFB. The foreign bodies occluded the bronchi over 2 months (3 to 7) in 4 patients. The moment of aspiration was not remembered by 8 patients. Cases of OBFB were rare. In the presented material the frequency was 4 per 10,000 hospitalizations and 8 per 10,000 bronchoscopies. In our region of 600,000 population the index of hospitalization due to OBFB in adults (〉 14 years of age) was 0.07 per 100,000 inhabitants/year. Foreign bodies mainly included bone fragments (5 cases), vegetal remnants - clove of garlic, ear of corn (3 patients), and other food remnants (2 patients). Occasionally other aspirates were found, such as a wooden peg or a piece of plastic. The aspiration took place mostly during meals. The patients developed one or more of the following symptoms: purulent pneumonia (3 cases), pleural empyema (1 case), atelectasis (5 cases), and recurrent bronchitis and pneumonia (2 cases). The foreign body (fragments of plants) was mimicking a bronchial tumour in 4 patients. Fibre optic or rigid bronchoscopy was applied successfully in 11 patients. Only one patient needed surgical intervention.
Conclusion: OBFB is a rare condition, but has to be taken into consideration as a cause of chest radiological pathology and in patients with chronic and/or recurrent inflammatory disease of the respiratory system.