Removal of a foreign body from the bronchial tree--a new method

Tracheo-bronchial foreign bodies can be very difficult to remove. This may be related to the location and type of foreign body, the experience of the bronchoscopist and the availability of appropriate instruments. We report a case of an uncommon foreign body in an unusual location in an adolescent in whom conventional attempts to remove it failed. The foreign body was eventually recovered using a flexible bronchoscope and an intravascular wire loop snare under fluoroscopic control. The patient was saved from thoracotomy and possible lobectomy. To our knowledge, this combined fluoroscopic and endoscopic approach for the removal of a difficult tracheobronchial foreign body is the first reported case in the literature.