A 2-year-old child died of suffocation after eating “nuts”, and a large plate of melon seeds 1.5 cm was taken out under a bronchoscope

Source: Lanzhou First Hospital


In the early morning of March 11, 2022, the Pediatrics Department of Lanzhou First Hospital received an emergency call. A 2-year-old child was admitted to the hospital half an hour before During the process of eating “nuts”, he suddenly developed severe coughing, accompanied by obvious wheezing and difficulty in breathing, and his family members came to the hospital for emergency treatment.

At this time, it coincided with the outbreak of the new crown epidemic. Oxygen inhalation was given for sedation, and a rapid nucleic acid detection of the new coronavirus was performed immediately. At the same time, a chest CT examination showed a foreign body in the right main bronchus and obstructive emphysema of the right lung.

The child had obvious dyspnea, and after the nucleic acid result was negative, the emergency laryngeal mask was put under general anesthesia For bronchoscopy foreign body removal, Ling Jizu, the deputy chief physician of the Pediatrics Department of Lanzhou University, and Dang Juan, the nurse, checked the operation and completed the operation. During the operation, a large plate of melon seeds, about 15mm×10mm in size, was taken out from the opening of the right main bronchus. It was also found that the child had congenital subglottic stenosis, and the endoscope with an inner diameter of 4.0 could barely pass through the subglottic area, and the dyspnea and wheezing of the child were relieved after the operation.

Up to now, the Pediatric Respiratory Endoscopy team of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University has removed more than 20 foreign bodies of various types through electronic bronchoscopy under general anesthesia with laryngeal mask, ranging in age from 8 Most of the foreign bodies removed were nuts (including melon seeds, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.), and no serious complications occurred.

The Department of Pediatrics of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University once again reminds parents and friends that bronchial foreign bodies are more common in infants and young children under the age of 3. Children should chew slowly when eating to avoid laughing and crying. Nausea, children under the age of 3 should avoid feeding nuts, so as to avoid suffocation and life-threatening foreign body stuck throat, if there is an emergency with foreign body stuck, family members can use Heimlich method for first aid treatment, if it still cannot be relieved, seek medical attention immediately Under the foreign body removal operation, the Pediatric Bronchoscopy Team of Lanzhou University First Hospital is on duty 24 hours a day to protect the health of every child.

Review: Xinya