Flexible bronchoscopy for foreign body aspiration in children:A single-centre experience

BACKGROUND The technological evolution of bronchoscopy has led to the widespread adoption of flexible techniques and their use for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.Currently,there is an active debate regarding the comparative efficacy and safety of rigid vs flexible bronchoscopy in the treatment of foreign body aspiration.AIM To evaluate our experience with tracheobronchial foreign body extraction using flexible bronchoscopy and provide a literature overview.METHODS This was a single-centre retrospective study.Twenty-four patients were enrolled between January 2017 and January 2023.Medical records of patients aged below 18 years who were admitted to authors’affiliated institution with a suspected diagnosis of foreign body aspiration were collected from hospital’s database to Microsoft Excel 2019.Data were analysed using MedCalc Statistical Software.RESULTS Patient ages varied from 9 months to 11 years.The median age was 23.5 months,95%confidence interval(CI)19.49-44.77.We observed age clustering in children with foreign body aspiration at our institution with three age subgroups:(1)0-25 months;(2)40-60 months;and(3)120-140 months.We expectancy of an organic tracheobronchial foreign body was significantly higher in 0-25 months subgroup than that in older ones when subgroups 40-60 and 120-140 months were combined together(odds ratio=10.0,95%CI:1.44-29.26,P=0.0197).Successful foreign body extraction was performed in all cases.Conversion to a rigid bronchoscope was not required in any of the cases.No major complications(massive bleeding,tracheobronchial tree perforation,or asphyxia)were observed.CONCLUSION Flexible bronchoscopy is an effective and safe method for tracheobronchial foreign body extraction in children.

Pneumomediastinum Secondary to Foreign Body Aspiration： Clinical Features and Treatment Explorement in 39 Pediatric Patients

Background：Pneumomediastinum （PM） secondary to foreign body aspiration （FBA） is rare in children.Although it is mainly benign,some cases may be fatal.Due to the rare nature of this clinical entity,proper assessment and management have been poorly studied so far.Here,we characterized the presentation and management of this clinical entity and provided an evaluation system for the management.Methods：We retrospectively reviewed children with PM secondary to FBA,who were treated in Beijing Children＇s Hospital from January 2010 to December 2015.All patients were stratified according to the degree of dyspnea on admission,and interventions were given accordingly.Bronchoscopic removals of airway foreign bodies （FBs） were performed on all patients.For patients in acute respiratory distress,emergent air evacuation and/or resuscitations were performed first.Admission data,interventions,and clinical outcomes were recorded.Results：A total of 39 patients were included in this study.The clinical severity was divided into three grades （Grades Ⅰ,Ⅱ,and Ⅲ） according to the degree of dyspnea.Thirty-one patients were in Grade Ⅰ dyspnea,and they simply underwent bronchoscopic FBs removals.PM resolved spontaneously and all patients recovered uneventfully.Six patients were in Grade Ⅱ dyspnea,and emergent drainage preceded rigid bronchoscopy.They all recovered uneventfully under close observation.Two exhausted patients were in Grade Ⅲ dyspnea.They died from large PM and bilateral pneumothorax,respectively,despite of aggressive interventions in our hospital.Conclusions：PM secondary to FBA could be life-threatening in some patients.The degree of dyspnea should be evaluated immediately,and patients in different dyspnea should be treated accordingly.For patients in Grade Ⅰ dyspnea,simple bronchoscopic FBs removals could promise a good outcome.For patients in Grade Ⅱ dyspnea,emergent air evacuation and/or resuscitation should precede a bronchoscopy before the children become exhausted.

Advantage of Computed Tomography (CT) Virtual Bronchoscopy in the Evaluation of Children with Suspected Foreign Body Airway

Background & Objectives: Foreign body aspiration (FBA) into the tracheo bronchial tree is a frequent and serious cause of respiratory distress and visit to the pediatrics emergency, principally in patients under 3 years of age. Most foreign bodies are not radio opaque and approximately one third of the children admitted will show normal chest X-ray. Virtual bronchoscopy is a relatively new and non-invasive procedure that provides a three dimensional view of the internal walls of the tracheobronchial tree through the reconstruction of axial images. The objectives of the study are, 1) to study the diagnostic accuracy and advantage of virtual bronchoscopy over rigid bronchoscopy in the evaluation of children with suspected FBA and to plan for early management as it is a non-invasive technique;2) to study the clinical spectrum of children attending with suspected FBA. Methods: An observational study of 37 patients of age 12 yrs and below who underwent Virtual Bronchoscopy for suspected foreign body aspiration in the department of pediatrics and Otorhinolaryngology at MGM Hospital, Warangal is carried out for a period of 1.5 years during 2012-2013. Results: The common age of presentation was 1 - 3 years with male preponderance. History of foreign body was obtained in 64.86% of cases. Normal X-ray was found in 27.02% of cases. In 75.67% FB detected on rigid bronchoscopy was also revealed on virtual bronchoscopy. False positive percentage was 5.40% and false negative was 2.70%. Sensitivity and specificity was 96.5% and 75% respectively. Ground nuts were the commonest foreign bodies aspirated. Conclusion: Virtual bronchoscopy should be considered in cases with suspected foreign body aspiration, when chest X-ray is normal, to avoid needless rigid bronchoscopy. Virtual bronchoscopy is useful in screening cases of occult foreign body as it has sensitivity, specificity, and validity.