Accidental Foreign Body Aspiration Through Tracheostomy Inlet; 26 cases

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Pulmonology
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Foreign body aspiration from tracheostomy is a rare clinical event.
• Tracheostomy-related materials are the most common aspirated items.
• This condition can lead to severe complications if not managed promptly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present clinical experience with foreign body aspiration via tracheostomy.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of bronchoscopic procedures in managing tracheostomy foreign body aspiration.
• To compare the outcomes of different bronchoscopic techniques.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 26 patients with foreign body aspiration via tracheostomy (2006-2020).
• Foreign body removal using fiber optic bronchoscopy, rigid bronchoscopy, or a combination.
• Evaluation of anesthesia types (local, general, none) and operative times.

Main Results:

• Fiber optic bronchoscopy was used in 57.7% of cases, rigid bronchoscopy in 34.6%, and both in 7.7%.
• Local anesthesia was used in 50% of cases, general anesthesia in 42.3%, and no anesthesia in 7.7%.
• Mean operative time for flexible bronchoscopy (8.77 min) was significantly shorter than for rigid bronchoscopy (27.73 min).

Conclusions:

• Both rigid and fiber optic bronchoscopy are effective for foreign body removal.
• Fiber optic bronchoscopy is recommended as the initial approach for patients with a tracheostoma.
• Fiber optic bronchoscopy offers advantages including shorter operative time and reduced need for general anesthesia.