Preference matters: New aspects on how foreign bodies should and could be removed from a child's airway

BACKGROUND

Foreign body aspiration in children is a potentially life-threatening event that can be diagnosed and treated by airway endoscopy. We aimed to analyze the influence of the examiner's experience and preference on the choice of the technique and the resulting complication rate.

METHODS

In this international study, experts in the field documented their preferred and applied technique as well as the outcome of each case of foreign body removal. Personal data of the bronchoscopists and their medical center were collected via an online questionnaire separately from the case specifics.

RESULTS

A total of 399 foreign body removals were performed by 64 examiners. A total of 279 removals were performed using rigid endoscopy, and 120 procedures were performed by flexible. When a difficulty was expected, flexible endoscopy was used significantly more often (χ² (1) = 11.06, p < 0.001). Complications occurred significantly less often when the bronchoscopist used their preferred technique (χ² (1) = 6.41, p = 0.011), had more than 5 years of experience (χ² (1) = 5.13, p = 0.023) or performed more than 100 removals (χ² (2) = 11.51, p = 0.003). In medical centers, complication rates significantly decreased if more than 200 bronchoscopies were performed in children, compared to the centers that perform 50-200 bronchoscopies per year (χ² (1) = 24.56, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Preference and experience of a bronchoscopist and his/her medical center with flexible or rigid foreign body removal distinctively affect the outcome of the procedure and cannot be neglected in the discourse on the appropriate technique. This link also emphasizes the importance of a structured training program.

Complication rates in rigid vs. flexible endoscopic foreign body removal in children

While foreign body aspiration remains a frequent and preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in children, recommendations on the appropriate removal technique do often not match the lived practice and expertise of the performing examiners. As there is a scarcity of data regarding success and complication rates of the procedure, the aim of this study was to set up a classification system for procedure-related complications, prospectively record and analyze them. Specialists in the field of foreign body removal contributed cases anonymously. Information regarding procedural details of the bronchoscopy, type, and severity of complications as well as patient characteristics were classified and recorded. Correlations were calculated using Pearson's Chi Square test. A total of 314 rigid and 178 flexible bronchoscopies were compared. Complications were categorized and their severity was defined by the anesthesiologist's assessment of whether to interrupt or terminate the procedure. The overall complication rate was similar in rigid vs. flexible bronchoscopy (19.1% vs. 24.2%, p = 0.232), while respiratory complications occurred significantly less frequent during rigid bronchoscopy (9.2% vs. 16.3%, p = 0.025). This is the largest pediatric case collection recording and comparing complications between rigid and flexible foreign body removal. The higher rate of respiratory complications in flexible bronchoscopy has been shown for the first time and validates some of the concerns about its use for foreign body removal. Flexible bronchoscopy is a safe procedure when extended respiratory monitoring and the possibility of an immediate switch to a secured airway are assured.