Reactions 1270 - 19 Sep 2009

SBarium sulphate

Lung disorder in an infant following accidentalaspiration: case report

A 7-month-old boy, who had been referred for a bariummeal and ultrasonography investigation for a suspectedmalrotation of the gut, developed a lung disorder afteraccidentally aspirating the barium sulphate.

The boy refused to swallow the barium so his parentsforced him, resulting in its aspiration [amount not stated].He became apnoeic and cyanosed and a directlaryngoscopy showed particulate barium in his trachea.

The barium was removed with suctioning and the boywas given oxygen. He regained spontaneous respiration,his oxygen saturation improved and his cyanosis resolved.However, 12 hours later, he developed a fever,tachypnoea, bilateral coarse crepitations and subcostalretractions. A chest x-ray showed dense radio-opacity inthe mid and lower regions of his right lung, with miliaryshadows bilaterally and hilar congestion. He graduallyimproved [patient outcome not clearly stated].

Author comment: Aspiration of barium "in a largerquantity could be fatal during the procedure itself, and evenin the long run it can produce pneumonitis, peribronchialgranulomatosis or fibrosis".Basu S, et al. Accidental aspiration of barium sulphate in an infant. PediatricRadiology 39: 762, No. 7, Jul 2009 - India 801150683

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Reactions 19 Sep 2009 No. 12700114-9954/10/1270-0001/$14.95 © 2010 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved