Foreign Bodies Injuries in Children in Argentina: A Countrywide Program Connecting Evidence with Prevention

Abstract

The present study presents 441 cases of foreign bodies (FB) injuries collected in Argentina, in the framework of the Susy safe program, a web-based surveillance registry for foreign body injuries in children aged 0-14. The analysis was carried out on hospital cases recorded for foreign bodies' injuries, registered in the Susy Safe database and validated as proper for quality and consistency of data. The current analysis is carried out on FBs located in ears, nose, pharynx and larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs, mouth, oesophagus and stomach. Injuries occurred most frequently in children older than 3 years Four-hundred-forty-four cases were treated: female patient's incidence was lower than males' one, with a 1:1.24 proportion (44.7% of female, and 55.3% males). Analyzing the outcomes, hospitalization was required in 218 cases (49.5%), most frequently when the injury occurred in trachea, bronchi and lungs (36.4%). Complications were recorded in 49 patients (11.1%), the majority of which (5.7%) presented to the ENT departments with a FB in the respiratory system. An adult was present in 77.8 % of the cases testifying that primary prevention has a key role in avoiding those kinds of injuries. Particularly, active strategies that promote behavior change seem to be necessary. A communication initiative is under development in Argentina, aimed at informing parents and supervisors of the risks posed by common objects to their children's health.