Inadvertent loss of bronchoscopy instruments in the tracheobronchial tree

Equipment malfunction is a rare complication of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy. We report an unusual example of equipment failure resulting in the inadvertent introduction of a foreign body (the tip of a cleaning brush) into the bronchial tree of a patient during FFB. In addition, we review several other cases in which problems have been caused by malfunction of accessory equipment. Careful inspection of all cleaning and biopsy utensils should reduce the chance of iatrogenically introducing a foreign body from the bronchoscope channel into the patient's airway. We suggest that biopsy forceps are the best retrieval instrument to use when the foreign body involved is a brush or a piece of wire.