OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical features of tracheobronchial foreign bodies in children and to provide a basis for feasible preventive measures.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 114 children with tracheobronchial foreign bodies confirmed by fiberoptic bronchoscopy between February 2012 and February 2013.

RESULTSThe majority (71.9%) of children with tracheobronchial foreign bodies were younger than three years old, and the male-to-female ratio was 2:l. The proportion of cases in winter was higher than that in summer. The incidence of tracheobronchial foreign bodies was significantly higher among rural children than among urban children. The positive rate of CT varied significantly for tracheobronchial foreign bodies at different sites, and the patients with tracheal foreign bodies had a significantly lower positive rate of chest CT than patients with foreign bodies in the left and right main bronchi (P<0.01). The misdiagnosis rate in children with a history of aspiration of foreign bodies was significantly lower than in children without one (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSHealth education related to the prevention of tracheobronchial foreign bodies in children should be conducted primarily in rural areas. Tracheobronchial foreign bodies are common in children younger than three years old. Bronchoscopy should be performed early for suspected cases of tracheobronchial foreign bodies.