Foreign body inhalation : a shift in clinical pattern

Background: Foreign body inhalation is a common presentation in thoracic surgery and it is well known to present mainly in toddlers, commonly due to sun flower seeds or water melon seeds. Objectives: To determine the changes in clinical pattern of foreign body inhalation regarding the age, sex, and type of foreign body. Methods: This is a case series study of patients with foreign body inhalation admitted to Al-Jumhori teaching hospital in Mosul. The parameters used in this study are sex, age group and type of foreign body. Results: The main age group affected was adolescents, and the commonest foreign body inhaled was the veil pin. Conclusion: The bad habit of holding pins in mouth while doing other things with your hand has led to this change in clinical pattern of foreign body inhalation.