Flexible bronchoscopic removal of a three piece foreign body from a child's bronchus

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Interventional Pulmonology
• Pediatric Airway Foreign Bodies

Background:

• Foreign body aspiration poses a significant risk to young children due to narrow airways.
• Delayed diagnosis and treatment of aspirated foreign bodies increase morbidity and can lead to complications like granulation tissue formation, complicating removal.
• Surgical intervention is often considered for difficult foreign body removals, but less invasive options are preferred.

Observation:

• A case of a neglected foreign body retained in a child's bronchus for 11 days is presented.
• The foreign body removal was complicated by the prolonged retention period.
• Flexible bronchoscopy was utilized as the primary intervention modality.

Findings:

• Flexible bronchoscopy enabled the successful removal of a neglected foreign body from a pediatric patient's bronchus.
• This case highlights the efficacy of flexible bronchoscopy in managing complex foreign body aspiration cases.
• The procedure avoided the need for surgical intervention.

Implications:

• Flexible bronchoscopy offers a viable, less invasive alternative to surgery for pediatric foreign body removal.
• Early consideration of flexible bronchoscopy can improve outcomes and reduce complications in foreign body aspiration.
• This approach expands the utility of interventional pulmonology in pediatric airway management.