[Foreign bodies in the lower respiratory tract--experience based on material gathered in the ENT Department of Kalisz between 1984-2001].

Between 1984 and 2001, 33 patients were treated because of foreign bodies in their lower respiratory tract. The age of patients ranged from 0 to 74 years, but the most numerous group was children between 0 and 5 years--16 cases and between 6 and 15 years--9 cases. The most often met foreign bodies were: organic--17 cases, metal bodies 7, plastic 7. We found proliferous changes in 2 patients. In all cases foreign bodies were removed by means of rigid bronchoscopy. In 30 cases they were treated within 48 hours. Only in one case, a ring, retained for 6 weeks. We didn't have any complications.