Download – Foreign Body in a Child – Anaesthesia for Bronchoscopy

Inhalation of a foreign body (FB) is a potentially life threatening event, with boys in the age range 1 to 3 years most at risk. Resistance to gas flow is related to the fourth power of the radius, so a small reduction in airway radius in a child will result in a large increase in resistance to airflow. Inhalation of an organic FB may result in airway hyper-reactivity and mucosal oedema. The occurrence of oedema in addition to the physical presence of the FB results in a rapid increase in airway resistance. Coupled with the high oxygen consumption of infants and small children, hypoxia may rapidly occur.

Pippa Dix