The fatal cafe coronary. Foreign-body airway obstruction

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Demographic features and predisposing factors to fatal food asphyxiation (cafe coronary) were determined by analyzing 141 such fatalities over a 20 yr period. Old age, poor dentition and alcohol consumption were expected findings. Other predisposing factors included institutionalization in long-term medical care facilities, sedative drugs and natural diseases, most notably parkinsonism. Since institutionalized patients tended to asphyxiate on soft, friable or snack-like foods, future improvements in rescue techniques should take this into consideration. The incidence of 0.66/100,000 population remained unchanged over the 2 decades studied. Observers were present at the time of the fatal incident in 85% of the cases. In only 1/3, the food was lodged in a supraglottic location. Continued efforts toward greater awareness of the cafe coronary syndrome still are needed. Special attention should be directed to the predisposing role of institutionalization, sedative drug and natural diseases.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: