Rigid bronchoscopy and balloon dilation for removal of aspirated thumbtacks: case series and literature review

Pediatric bronchoscopy: recent advances and clinical challenges

Introduction: During the last 40 years equipment has been improved with smaller instruments and sufficient size working channels. This has ensured that bronchoscopy offers therapeutic and interventional options.Areas covered: We provide a review of recent advances and clinical challenges in pediatric bronchoscopy. This includes single-use bronchoscopes, endobronchial ultrasound, and cryoprobe. Bronchoscopy in persistent preschool wheezing and asthma is included. The indications for interventional bronchoscopy have amplified and included balloon dilatation, endoscopic intubation, the use of airway stents, whole lung lavage, closing of fistulas and air leak, as well as an update on removal of foreign bodies. Others include the use of laser and microdebrider in airway surgery. Experience with bronchoscope during the COVID-19 pandemic has been included in this review. PubMed was searched for articles on pediatric bronchoscopy, including rigid bronchoscopy as well as interventional bronchoscopy with a focus on reviewing literature in the past 5 years.Expert opinion: As the proficiency of pediatric interventional pulmonologists continues to grow more interventions are being performed. There is a scarcity of published evidence in this field. Courses for pediatric interventional bronchoscopy need to be developed. The COVID-19 experience resulted in safer bronchoscopy practice for all involved.

Cryoprobe retrieval of an airway foreign body: A case report and literature review

We report a case of a 7-year-old boy with clinical and radiographic evidence of foreign body (FB) aspiration with a 2-week delay in diagnosis. The retrieval of the pushpin with traditional bronchoscopic instrumentation was made difficult by granulation tissue formation. A cryoprobe through a flexible bronchoscope was used to successfully remove the FB. To our knowledge, this is the first report of interventional bronchoscopy with a cryoprobe to remove a pushpin in a child under suspension laryngoscopy and spontaneous ventilation. A high index of suspicion is crucial for identifying FBs early and minimizing granulation tissue development which complicates FB removal.

Successful retrieval of a plastic bead from the airway of a child by flexible bronchoscopy and a balloon-tipped catheter: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Bronchial foreign body aspiration is a critical condition that jeopardizes the respiratory function of children. Prompt diagnosis and removal of the foreign body can reduce occurrence of foreign body complications and mortality. Aspiration of spherical plastic beads is rare, and the bead is difficult to retrieve.

PATIENT CONCERNS

An 8-year-old girl developed cough, transient throat wheezing, and intermittent cough after she accidentally inhaled a plastic bead 7 hours ago. Chest computed tomography scan revealed a round shadow 1.2 cm in diameter in the right main bronchus.

DIAGNOSES

Foreign body in the right main bronchus.

INTERVENTIONS

Retrieval by balloon-tipped catheter via flexible bronchoscopy was undertaken.

OUTCOMES

The bead was successfully retrieved and the child recovered uneventfully.

LESSONS

Foreign body aspiration in children constitutes a medical emergency in severe cases. Flexible bronchoscopy and balloon-tipped catheter retrieval can be used as an effective noninvasive treatment for aspiration of plastic beads.

A simple management option for chronically impacted sharp tracheobronchial foreign bodies in children

Distally impacted chronic tracheobronchial sharp foreign bodies in children are a management challenge that presents with clinical subtlety and extreme variability. The use of image guided techniques, imaginative instrumentation, tracheotomy, thoracotomy, and even extracorporeal membrane oxygneation have been reported. Endoscopy is made difficult by the distal location, inflammatory reaction with granulation tissue formation, and bleeding obscuring the foreign body. Our aim is to describe our experience with two children who had removal of aspirated impacted sharp metallic foreign bodies from the distal airway using rigid bronchoscopy, preceded by maximal medical therapy.

ERS statement: interventional bronchoscopy in children

Paediatric airway endoscopy is accepted as a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure, with an expanding number of indications and applications in children. The aim of this European Respiratory Society task force was to produce a statement on interventional bronchoscopy in children, describing the evidence available at present and current clinical practice, and identifying areas deserving further investigation. The multidisciplinary task force panel performed a systematic review of the literature, focusing on whole lung lavage, transbronchial and endobronchial biopsy, transbronchial needle aspiration with endobronchial ultrasound, foreign body extraction, balloon dilation and occlusion, laser-assisted procedures, usage of airway stents, microdebriders, cryotherapy, endoscopic intubation, application of drugs and other liquids, and caregiver perspectives. There is a scarcity of published evidence in this field, and in many cases the task force had to resort to the collective clinical experience of the committee to develop this statement. The highlighted gaps in knowledge underline the need for further research and serve as a call to paediatric bronchoscopists to work together in multicentre collaborations, for the benefit of children with airway disorders.

Foreign body aspiration in adult airways: therapeutic approach

Tracheobronchial foreign body (FB) aspiration is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening event in adults. Symptoms typically consist of a choking event followed by cough and dyspnea, however, these findings are inconsistent and symptoms may mimic more chronic lung diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Chest radiography and computed tomography can provide information regarding the location and characteristics of foreign bodies and aid in diagnosis. Bronchoscopy remains the gold standard for diagnosis and management of FB aspiration. The authors describe the typical clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and bronchoscopic management of foreign bodies in adult airways with a focus on bronchoscopic techniques and potential complications of FB extraction.

Awake emergency endotracheal intubation using sheath-assisted technique for patients having malignant tracheal stenosis under fluoroscopy guidance: a retrospective study

Background For patients having a severe larynx or tracheal stenosis, emergency endotracheal intubation (EEI) may be needed due to respiratory failure. Purpose To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of awake EEI using a fluoroscopy-guided sheath-assisted technique for adult patients having a malignant tracheal stenosis. Material and Methods From October 2009 to May 2015, 219 patients having a malignant tracheal stenosis causing dyspnea or asphyxia required EEI. Of these, 32 patients who experienced intubation difficulties or failure were included in this study. Data on the technical success, procedure time, complications, and clinical outcome were collected. The pulse oxygen saturation (SpO₂) and Hugh-Jones classification were used to evaluate the respiratory function before and after EEI. Results Awake fluoroscopy-guided EEI was technically successful in 15 ± 4 min and acute dyspnea was resolved in all patients. The SpO₂ and Hugh-Jones classification increased after EEI ( P < 0.05). Subsequent treatments included tracheal stents (n = 15), surgical resection (n = 10), and palliative tracheotomy (n = 7), which were performed within 72 h after EEI. Conclusion Awake EEI using a sheath-assisted technique for adult patients having a malignant tracheal stenosis is a safe and effective procedure.

Emergency endotracheal intubation under fluoroscopy guidance for patients with acute dyspnea or asphyxia

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of emergency endotracheal intubation (EEI) under fluoroscopy guidance for patients with acute dyspnea or asphyxia.

METHODS

From October 2011 to October 2014, of 1521 patients with acute dyspnea or asphyxia who required EEI in 6 departments, 43 patients who experienced intubation difficulty or failure were entered into this study. Data on technical success, procedure time, complications, and clinical outcome were collected. The pulse oxygen saturation and Hugh-Jones classification changes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Fluoroscopy-guided EEI was technically successful in all patients. Acute dyspnea had resolved in all patients with clinical success rate 100% after the procedure. There were no serious complications during or after the procedure. The pulse oxygen saturation and Hugh-Jones classification showed significant increase after EEI (P < .05). Further treatments, including tracheal stents (n = 21), surgical resection (n = 16), palliative tracheotomy (n = 4), and bronchoscopic treatment (n = 2), were performed 1 to 72 hours after EEI. During a mean follow-up period of 13.2 months, 13 patients had died and 30 patients remained alive without dyspnea.

CONCLUSIONS

Fluoroscopy-guided EEI is a safe and feasible procedure, and may serve as an alternative treatment option for patients when traditional EEI is unsuccessful.