Foreign Bodies in the Lower Airways: Patient Pathways and Management at the ENT Department of Donka National Hospital, Guinea

Introduction: Foreign bodies (FB) in the lower airways (LAs) constitute a potentially life-threatening emergency requiring immediate management. The objective of our study was to describe the patient pathway and management of foreign bodies in the lower airways. Methodology: This was a descriptive study with retrospective data collection conducted over a 6-year period (January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019) in the ENT and Head and Neck Surgery Department of Donka National Hospital. Results: We observed a prevalence of 1.79%. The average age was 5.71 years, with a sex ratio of 1.2. However, 82.61% of the cases originated from rural areas. We noted that 78.83% of patients were referred after visiting 1 to 2 healthcare facilities (75.36%). The consultation delay was 3 days. Penetration syndrome was present in 98.56% of cases. The foreign body incidents occurred during play in 54.84% and during meals in 29.09% of cases. Radiographs were performed in 93.9% of cases. Endoscopy was used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in all patients. The foreign bodies were located in the trachea (37.68%), larynx (26.08%), and bronchi (21.73%). Non-organic foreign bodies were predominant (52.17%). Postoperative outcomes were uncomplicated in 95.98% of cases, and the lethality rate was 2.85%. Conclusion: The pathway of patients with foreign bodies in the airways remains unpredictable in our context due to parental hesitations. Early management reduces morbidity and mortality rates.