Complications of foreign bodies in the airways and how to manage them

Foreign body in the airway is an emergency condition that needs to be diagnosed early to have the right and timely treatment method to avoid dangerous complications as well as prevent death due to foreign body blocking the airway leading to asphyxiation. grant.

Airway foreign body is the term used to refer to objects stuck in the airway from the larynx to the segmental bronchi. Therefore, airway foreign body is an emergency condition that needs to be diagnosed early for quick and proper treatment to avoid dangerous complications, more severe patients can die quickly.
Usually, the condition of foreign body in the airway is more common in children than in adults, because children often have a habit of putting objects into their mouth. The foreign body in the airway is considered as a daily-life accident and the main causes leading to this condition are:
Crying or laughing while eating; Foreign body in the airways can be caused by the habit of sucking on objects while playing or working; Some cases of foreign bodies in the airways may be due to disorders of the throat and larynx reflexes or it may also be due to the patient's coma, anesthesia... Because some people have a habit of drinking spring water, which causes the child to snore. enter the airways and live as parasites in the patient's airways. However, the nature of small objects that can be put into the mouth can fall into the airways causing foreign bodies, complications of airway foreign bodies will cause other reactions on the patient's body if not handled promptly. time.
Therefore, when you notice that a child sucking or eating suddenly coughs, cyanosis, and choking, the child may have a foreign object in the airway, those reflex functions are mobilized to expel the foreign object. . Some cases of children with mild hoarseness, restlessness but not necessarily shortness of breath make it easy for parents to ignore, not to think as symptoms of a foreign body in the airway.

According to the assessment, this situation is dangerous and especially dangerous in young children because the foreign body in the airway can cause the patient to die quickly because the foreign body blocks the airway leading to acute asphyxiation if not treated. timely. However, airway foreign body complications will depend on the nature of the foreign body. Specifically:
Foreign bodies in the airways are organic substances, plant particles: These foreign bodies will absorb water and swell, leading to infection and stagnation of secretions. Age of person with airway foreign body: The younger the patient's age, the more dangerous complications will be when suffering from a foreign body in the airway. Foreign bodies in the airways of young children can be removed fairly quickly but can be dangerous because of severe acute bronchitis. Early or late detection of airway foreign body: Severe or mild airway foreign body complication depends on whether the patient is examined and intervened early or late. In case of early examination, it is easy to remove the foreign body and prevent dangerous complications, but if the examination and treatment is late, the foreign body often causes mucosal edema, serious complications for the patient as well as the problem of removing the foreign body. out of the airway becomes more difficult. Medical equipment and doctors' skills are also factors to limit complications. Because, modern medical equipment and experienced doctors will support the diagnosis as well as give the most accurate treatment regimen for the patient.

When detecting that the patient has a foreign body in the airway, the principle of treatment is to ensure that the airway is open and the foreign body is removed as soon as possible. The specific treatment is as follows:
Treatment in fulminant cases:
In the community: The patient should lie down with his head tilted and pat his chest hard to stimulate the patient, because if the object is smooth, it may cause falls into the pharynx or nasopharynx, at this time should put the index finger in the throat to pull out the foreign body. Do the Heimlich maneuver: This maneuver can be performed when the patient is asphyxiated. The method is to use two hands to press firmly on the patient's lower ribs about 3-5 times. The goal is to create pressure in the chest so that the patient can push the foreign object out of the airway. At non-specialist medical level: In case of asphyxia in medical facilities, emergency tracheostomy should be performed or can be intubated, needle punctured through the cricoid membrane, laryngoscopy to pick up foreign objects or push foreign bodies. down to open the airway. Emergency treatment:
When the patient has laryngeal dyspnea at grade II or higher, emergency tracheostomy should be performed; In case of foreign body in the larynx or trachea, emergency tracheostomy is required before transferring the patient to a higher level; If a foreign body in the bronchi causes acute respiratory failure, it is necessary to give oxygen to the patient through a masque, support hot compression if the patient has a breathing disorder. In all cases of foreign bodies in the airways, early detection of foreign bodies is advisable to avoid dangerous complications such as lung abscess, atelectasis or pneumonia... In some cases After endoscopic removal of foreign bodies, it is recommended to perform bronchoscopy or bronchial lavage, use antibiotics, and reduce inflammation in the bronchi for the patient. Note: When handling a patient with a foreign body in the airway, do not intervene if the victim is still able to cough, breathe, scream or cry. In particular, do not try to grab the object or move it if you cannot see it.

To prevent foreign bodies and dangerous complications of the disease, the following measures should be taken:
When eating, it is best to pay attention to eat slowly, chew carefully and especially not laugh or cry when eating To avoid choking on foreign objects such as chicken bones, fish bones,... If you notice signs of difficulty swallowing or breathing, you need to go to the hospital to check what the cause is, thereby avoiding complications. danger such as bacteremia, abscess, pneumonia... If you accidentally choke on a foreign body, you need to go to the nearest medical facility for emergency treatment, timely treatment, do not self-treat at home; For patients with swallowing dysfunction or a history of neurological or psychiatric disease, mannequins, and young children, special attention should be paid to avoiding the risk of choking foreign bodies, because these subjects can higher risk of foreign body choking. If they find that children are sucking or eating things that are easy to cause choking, parents and teachers should not panic or yell at the child because it can make the child startled and scared, making it easier to choke. Note further that children should not be allowed to hold objects or toys to put in their mouths and suck, and also should not give them foods that are easy to choke. It is necessary to take the patient with an airway foreign body to a reputable hospital for immediate examination and treatment. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the leading prestigious hospitals in the country, trusted by a large number of patients for medical examination and treatment. Not only the physical system, modern equipment: 6 ultrasound rooms, 4 DR X-ray rooms (1 full-axis machine, 1 light machine, 1 general machine and 1 mammography machine) , 2 DR portable X-ray machines, 2 multi-row CT scanner rooms (1 128 rows and 1 16 arrays), 2 Magnetic resonance imaging rooms (1 3 Tesla and 1 1.5 Tesla), 1 room for 2 levels of interventional angiography and 1 room to measure bone mineral density.... Vinmec is also the place to gather a team of experienced doctors and nurses who will greatly assist in diagnosis and detection. early signs of abnormality in the patient's body. In particular, with a space designed according to 5-star hotel standards, Vinmec ensures to bring the patient the most comfort, friendliness and peace of mind.