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Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation
Published on: January 17, 2011
[Perioperative management of airway foreign bodies in 35 pediatric patients]
Kanako Watanabe1, Kiyokazu Kagawa, Keiko Kinouchi
1Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Osaka Medical Center and Research Institute for Maternal & Child Health, Izumi 594-1101.
Insights
Foreign body removal in children, primarily nuts and plastics, was successfully managed using general anesthesia and bronchoscopy. Most pediatric patients experienced no significant complications after removal.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
Context:
- Foreign body ingestion and aspiration are common emergencies in pediatrics.
- Timely diagnosis and removal are crucial to prevent complications.
Purpose:
- To review the management and outcomes of pediatric foreign body removal.
- To identify common foreign bodies and their locations.
Summary:
- Retrospective review of 33 pediatric patients (35 cases) undergoing foreign body removal between 1995-2003.
- Nuts and plastics were the most frequent foreign bodies, often lodged in the tracheobronchial tree.
- Procedures included direct laryngoscopy and flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy under general anesthesia, with successful extraction in most cases.
Impact:
- Highlights the effectiveness of current management strategies for pediatric foreign bodies.
- Informs clinical practice regarding diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
- Emphasizes the importance of prompt referral and intervention.
Abstract:
We retrospectively reviewed 33 patients (35 cases) who underwent foreign body removal at our institution from 1995 through 2003. Male-female ratio was 21 : 12 and the most frequent age was one year. The most common foreign bodies (FBs) were nuts (n = 14) and plastics (n = 7). A repeater (3 cases) had mental retardation. Patients were referred to our institution with an average interval of 90 hours, and after 1.3 hospitals. All the patients were managed with general anesthesia. Direct laryngoscopy was performed to extract FBs in 11 cases suspected of having pharyngeal or laryngeal FBs. In 24 cases suspected of having tracheobronchial FBs, the trachea was intubated and a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed to locate the FBs. FBs were found in the trachea in 2 cases and in the bronchus in 18 patients and were successfully extracted by rigid bronchoscopy in 10 cases. All the patients were admitted for fear of laryngotracheal edema. There were no significant postoperative complications.
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