[Endoscopy for exploration for foreign bodies of the lower respiratory tract of the child. Apropos of 668 cases].

From 1980 to 1984, 335 foreign bodies (FB) were extracted from lower respiratory tract of children: two-thirds were boys, 77% were under 3 years of age, 79% presented signs of penetration. The FB was mainly of alimentary origin, particularly peanuts. Radiologic imaging provided inconstant signs, atelectasis increasing in frequency with duration after inhalation. Laryngeal and tracheal FB were rare (15 and 19 cases respectively), and the site of impaction was divided equally between the left and right bronchi. Multiple, sometimes bilateral FB are frequent and FB of a vegetable nature are of serious omen. During the same period, 283 endoscopies for suspected FB gave negative results, and FB was found in 6 of 50 cases undergoing endoscopy for repeated pulmonary infections. In this latter group the percentage of boys was lower and the age of the children a little higher than in the group with a detected FB. These findings suggest the need for endoscopy under general anesthesia and the use of a rigid tube in all suspected cases of FB in the lower respiratory tract.