Foreign body aspiration in children is a common condition and can bring about serious undesired results. Fast and accurate diagnosis and foreign body extraction from airways are essential. We performed a retrospective study on rigid bronchoscopy outcomes due to suspected foreign body aspiration. A total of 66 children were admitted to the Chair and Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Phoniatrics and Audiology, Medical University of Lublin between 2015 and 2020 and underwent rigid bronchoscopy in general anesthesia due to suspected foreign body aspiration. We analyzed the data, including patients age and sex, reported complaints, and bronchoscopy findings. Analyzed children were aged from 8 months to 17 years old; 74.24% of them were under 3 years old during the procedure, and most of the operated patients were males. In 36.36% cases, no foreign body was identified, and 57.14% foreign bodies were located in right main bronchus. A total of 80.95% of foreign bodies extracted from airways were organic, mostly nuts. Diagnosis and treatment of suspected foreign body aspiration requires consistent cooperation between pediatricians, pulmonologists, anesthesiologists, and otolaryngologists.

In 2017, Poland introduced the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) into its national immunization schedule. This prospective study was conducted between March and June 2020 to determine the impact of vaccination on prevalence of the nasopharyngeal carriage of S. pneumoniae in 176 healthy children and to determine how conjugate vaccines indirectly affect colonization of nasopharyngeal microbiota. Pneumococcal isolates were analyzed by serotyping and antimicrobial resistance tests. Nasopharyngeal microbiota were detected and identified using the culture method and real-time PCR amplification primers and hydrolysis-probe detection with the 16S rRNA gene as the target. In the vaccinated group of children, colonization was in 24.2% of children, compared to 21.4% in the unvaccinated group. Serotypes 23A and 23B constituted 41.5% of the isolates. Serotypes belonging to PCV10 and PCV13 constituted 4.9% and 17.1% of the isolates, respectively. S. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to penicillin (34.1%), erythromycin (31.7%), and co-trimoxazole (26.8%). Microbial DNA qPCR array correlated to increased amounts of Streptococcus mitis and S. sanguinis in vaccinated children, with reduced amounts of C. pseudodiphtericum, S. aureus, and M. catarrhalis. Introduction of PCV for routine infant immunization was associated with significant reductions in nasopharyngeal carriage of PCV serotypes and resistant strains amongst vaccine serotypes, yet carriage of non-PCV serotypes increased modestly, particularly serotype 23B.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of paranasal sinuses condition assessed in computed tomography on inhalant allergen desensitization effects. Retrospective analysis of medical records of children undergoing allergen immunotherapy in outpatient otolaryngology clinic of University Children Hospital in Lublin was performed. Control group consisted of children who underwent allergen immunotherapy and obtained satisfying effects; study group consisted of children who did not experience significant improvement after desensitization therapy. Computed tomography of nose cavity and paranasal sinuses exposed numerous pathologic changes affecting both, control and study group. Blockage of ostiomeatal complex was twice more common in children who did not respond adequately to desensitization therapy. In our study group, radiological findings suggesting rhinosinusitis were found in 73% of patients, while retention cysts in maxillary sinuses were discovered in 27% of patients. Pathological findings in paranasal sinuses in computed tomography may arise from uncontrolled allergic rhinitis. If chirurgical management is indicated, allergen immunotherapy should be postponed until total recovery from operational procedure and repeated.

Introduction: Hemispheric asymmetry of the central nervous system affects various features of the brain involved in cognitive ability. Functional asymmetry, such as different hearing ability in the left or right ear, will also affect cognitive processes.Material and methods: The aim of this study was to assess how intelligence measures and cognitive abilities in children and adolescents might have been affected by hearing deficits in the left or right ear. The study involved 208 children, 126 who were in an experimental group and 82 in a control group. In the experimental group, there were 26 children who were diagnosed with right-sided hearing loss, 34 with leftsided hearing loss, and 66 with bilateral hearing loss; all children in this group had used hearing devices since diagnosis. We assessed hearing unilaterally and bilaterally and looked for asymmetries in terms of intelligence measures and visual and spatial functioning.Results: Children with bilateral hearing impairment had lower intelligence compared to those without impairment. Children with unilateral hearing impairment had similar intelligence level compared to well hearing children. Children with left-sided hearing impairment had higher intelligence compared to those with right-sided hearing impairment and lower nonverbal intelligence compared to well-hearing children. Children with right-sided hearing impairment had lower verbal intelligence.Conclusions: Hearing impairment has an impact on various measures of intelligence, as well as on the organisation and performance of cognitive processes.

Introduction: Computer tomography is an important imaging technique in Emergency Units. Due to its popularity, there are radiological changes found in healthy children more commonly. The aim of this paper is evaluation of incidence of maxillary sinus radiological changes in children with head trauma who admitted to Emergency Unit of University Children Hospital in Lublin. Material and Methods: Retrospective analysis of computer tomography scans of children suffering from head trauma admitted to Emergency Unit of University Children Hospital in Lublin was performed. A group of 425 patients was analysed. Results: Maxillary findings were present in 81 cases (19.06%); in 38 patients (8.94%) the changes were unilateral, while in 43 patients (10.12%) the changes were bilateral. Maxillary mucosal thickening was the most common radiological abnormality, present in almost 12% of investigated cases (approximately 62% of all revealed changes). Maxillary total opacification as an isolated finding was discovered exclusively in younger children group. Retention cysts and maxillary polyps were found in a similar low frequency as maxillary opacification; exclusively in older children. Discussion: Asymptomatic radiological changes in computer tomography scans are common. Maxillary mucosal thickening is the most frequent asymptomatic abnormality. Maxillary polyps and pseudocysts are rare in paediatric population. Maxillary opacification suggests other more significant pathologies and require further diagnostics. Physicians should avoid diagnosing patients with sinusitis without proper examination only by radiological abnormalities. Paediatric patients with revealed maxillary changes should remain under regular laryngological control.