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

Foreign Body Aspiration in Egyptian Children Clinical, Radiological and Bronchoscopic Findings

Purpose

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a frequent cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of FBA is challenging in the absence of a witnessed aspiration event. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of presenting symptoms as well as physical and radiologic findings as predictors of FBA in children. Thus, indications for bronchoscopy could be determined in such cases.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study was conducted in the ENT department, Kafr-elsheikh University Hospital. The medical records of patients younger than 16 years old who underwent rigid bronchoscopy for suspected FBA were included. Data including age, gender, symptoms, physical examination findings, radiological features, nature and location of foreign body, and outcome of the bronchoscopy were collected.

Results

This study included 130 patients, 105 (80.8%) patients were positive for the presence of a foreign body in their airways. Foreign bodies were most frequently (43.8%) lodged in the right main bronchus, and nuts (66.7%), were the most commonly retrieved. Multivariate regression analysis identified the presence of suggestive signs or symptoms as independent predictors of FBA on rigid bronchoscopy.

Conclusion

Objective finding of clinical signs eg unilateral wheezes on chest examination in the presence of symptoms such as a sudden cough, dyspnea, and hoarseness could predict FBA and help physicians in deciding bronchoscopy.

Endobronchial foreign body removal using fiberoptic bronchoscope together with gastroscope biopsy forceps: A case report

RATIONALE

There are many difficult cases in the clinic because of the diversity of foreign bodies. The removal of a syringe cap is not so easy because there is always no hole at the closed end.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 54-year-old man suddenly developed dyspnea during his treatment in the hospital.

DIAGNOSES

Foreign body in the left main bronchus.

INTERVENTIONS

The foreign body was removed using fiberoptic bronchoscope together with gastroscope biopsy forceps.

OUTCOMES

A repeat CT showed well inflation of left lung.

LESSONS

The combined use of gastroscope biopsy forceps in trachea is more conducive to remove a foreign body similar to a syringe cap.