Necrotizing pneumonia (NP) is a rare but serious complication that occurs after foreign body retention. We report a case of severe NP in an infant caused by foreign body retention in the airway with no choking history. After a timely tracheoscopy and effective antibiotic treatment, her initial clinical symptoms were alleviated. However, she subsequently exhibited pulmonary manifestations of necrotizing pneumonia. To reduce the risk of NP from foreign body aspiration, for patients with airway obstruction and asymmetrical opacity of both lungs, timely diagnostic bronchoscopic evaluation is essential.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the inflential factors for visit time for tracheobronchial foreign bodies in pediatrics, and to shorten the time of diagnosis and reduce complications.
METHODS: A questionnaire survey was designed and conducted among the caretakers of children with tracheobronchial foreign bodies, and the related inflential factors for visit time were analyzed.
RESULTS: The visit time for tracheobronchial foreign body was correlated with the age of the child, the type of foreign body, the educational level of the caretaker, a history of foreign body aspiration were provided, an examination was performed during the visit, the anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic treatment, and transfer to a higher level hospital. Age, history of foreign body aspiration were provided, and anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic treatment were the independent inflential factors for the time of diagnosis (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The visit time for tracheobronchial foreign bodies was affected by many factors. It is necessary to strengthen the publicity scope and intensity on health education for tracheobronchial foreign bodies in community doctors and parents, to shorten the time of diagnosis and reduce complications.