Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 16, 2026
Substernal Thyroid Biopsy Using Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration
Published on: November 10, 2014
Complications of tracheobronchial foreign bodies
Bayram Altuntaş1, Yener Aydin1, Atila Eroğlu1
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
Background/Aim:
Tracheobronchial foreign bodies may cause several complications in the respiratory system. We aimed to present the complications of tracheobronchial foreign bodies.
Materials And Methods:
Between January 1990 and March 2015, 813 patients with suspected tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration were hospitalized in our department. Patients with complications related to foreign bodies in airways were included in this study. We retrospectively evaluated the records of patients according to symptoms, foreign body type, localizations, and complications.
Results:
A foreign body was found in 701 of 813 patients (86.2%). Complications related to foreign bodies settled in airways were seen in 96 patients (13.7%). The most common complications were atelectasis and pneumonia in 36 (5.1%) and 26 (3.7%) patients, respectively. Other complications were bronchiectasis (n = 12, 1.7%), cardiopulmonary arrest (n = 11, 1.6%), bronchostenosis (n = 3, 0.4%), death (n = 2, 0.3%), migration of foreign body (n = 2, 0.3%), pneumomediastinum (n = 2, 0.3%), tracheal perforation (n = 1, 0.15%), pneumothorax (n = 1, 0.15%), and hemoptysis (n = 1, 0.15%). Coughing (n = 74, 77.1%) and diminished respiratory sounds (59.3%, n = 57) were the most common findings.
Conclusion:
Careful evaluation and rapid intervention are life-saving methods in tracheobronchial foreign body aspirations.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Trachea
Anatomical Features:
Location: About half of the trachea is situated in the neck, anterior to the esophagus, and extends from the larynx (at the level of...
01:23The Bronchial Tree
The trachea, commonly known as the windpipe, is a tube that connects the larynx (voice box) to the bronchi. At a point called the carina, it bifurcates into two primary bronchi. The right primary bronchus is wider, shorter, and more vertical than the left primary...
01:28Tracheostomy: Procedure and Tubes
Tracheostomy tubes can be made of semiflexible plastic (polyurethane or silicone), rigid plastic, or metal, and they come in...
01:23Oxygen Delivering System III: Tracheostomy and T-piece
Tracheostomy
A tracheostomy is a surgically created opening (stoma) in the anterior part of the trachea. It is used to establish a patient airway, bypass an upper airway obstruction, simplify the removal of secretions, permit long-term...
01:30Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation V: Advanced Airway Management Techniques
01:30Endoscopic Studies I: Bronchoscopy and Thoracoscopy
Bronchoscopy
Description
Bronchoscopy is a procedure that involves direct visualization of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. A flexible fiber optic or rigid bronchoscope is used to carry out the procedure. The fiber-optic bronchoscope is more frequently used due...