Overview
Why Airway Obstruction Becomes an Emergency
Foreign body aspiration means an object, food piece, liquid, or small item enters the airway instead of the esophagus.
REx-PN
REx-PN
Foreign body aspiration means an object, food piece, liquid, or small item enters the airway instead of the esophagus. It can cause partial airway obstruction, complete airway obstruction, or delayed lung complications such as atelectasis, wheeze, recurrent pneumonia, or aspiration pneumonia. It is potentially life-threatening because airway obstruction interferes with ventilation and oxygenation. Children younger than 4 years are at greatest risk because immature dentition, oral exploration of objects, and eating while active make it easier for material to enter the airway. A child who coughs suddenly while eating and then seems comfortable may still have an object lodged in a bronchus; a persistent cough or one-sided wheeze is not reassuring.
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