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Foreign Body Retrieval by Using Flexible Cryoprobe in Children
1Pediatric Interventional Pulmonology Division, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Insights
Cryoextraction using flexible cryoprobes is a safe and effective method for removing airway foreign bodies in children. This technique offers a reliable alternative to traditional methods, especially for friable objects.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Interventional Bronchoscopy
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Foreign body aspiration (FBA) poses a significant risk in children, leading to severe complications and mortality.
- While rigid bronchoscopy is standard, flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope (FFB) extraction is gaining traction.
- Limited pediatric data exists for cryoprobe use in FBA, particularly in infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the characteristics of foreign bodies (FBs) retrieved using cryoextraction in pediatric patients.
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of cryoextraction as a treatment for airway FBA in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 50 pediatric patients with FBA.
- Management involved flexible cryoprobes with FFB between September 2013 and October 2018.
- Cryoextraction performed under light general anesthesia, maintaining spontaneous breathing.
Main Results:
- Fifty children (7 months to 15 years) underwent cryoextraction for airway FBA.
- Common presenting symptoms included choking, cyanosis, cough, and noisy breathing.
- Cryoextraction proved highly effective for airway foreign body retrieval.
Conclusions:
- Cryoextraction is a reliable and preferred method for pediatric airway FB removal.
- The technique is associated with minimal complications.
- It is particularly advantageous for extracting friable foreign bodies in children.
Background:
Foreign body aspiration (FBA) can be a life-threatening emergency and the cause of significant morbidity and mortality in children. Although rigid bronchoscopy is considered as the treatment of choice for the retrieval of foreign bodies (FBs) among pediatrics, extraction with the flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope (FFB) has become increased in popularity over the last few years. Recently, though there have been some reports about the use of cryoprobes as tools for the removal of FBs in adults, there is a limited experience concerning pediatrics, especially during the infancy period. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of FBs and cryoextraction as the new method of treatment.
Methods:
This retrospective study was conducted on 50 pediatric patients with FBA who were managed by using the flexible cryoprobes to evaluate their outcomes between September 2013 and October 2018.
Results:
A total of 50 children ranging in age from 7 months to 15 years underwent cryoextraction for the airway FBA retrieval with FFB using a cryoprobe. The main symptoms patients complained of were choking, cyanosis, cough, and noisy breathing. History, clinical examination, and finally radiologic examination were the diagnostic tools. The treatment consisted of FFB using cryoprobes under slight general anesthesia with maintaining the patient's spontaneous breathing. Using cryoextraction turned to be very useful.
Conclusion:
Using cryoextraction can be a reliable and preferred method with minimal complications for extracting airway FBs among children, especially those that have a friable texture.
