Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2001 Oct;44(10):1103-1106.

Usefulness of Flexible Bronchoscopy in the Diagnosis of Tracheobronchial Foreign Bodies in Children

• Na AS
• Lim SC
• Cho JS
• Kim JH
• Shin MS

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Diagnosis of foreign body aspiration in children has not been satisfactory, although many methods have included history, physical examination, radiographic findings, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and lung scan. Therefore, a simple and definitive method is needed and we have studied the usefulness of flexible bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of tracheobronchial foreign bodies in children. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A retrospective review was undertaken of 67 cases referred with suspicion of foreign body aspiration. The age of patients ranged from 3 months to 192 months, with a mean age of 33.5 months. Flexible bronchoscopy was performed in 37 cases with topical-local anesthesia, because the evidence of tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration was not conclusive.
RESULTS
We detected foreign bodies in 72.9% (27) and secretion suggesting foreign bodies in 18.9% (7). All of 34 children who were suspicious of having foreign bodies underwent rigid bronchoscopy and 32 had foreign bodies. Three children who had normal flexible bronchoscopic examination were discharged after improvement by medical treatment. There were no complications except transient cyanosis.
CONCLUSION
We suggest that the diagnostic use of the pediatric flexible bronchoscope is safe, definitive, and cost-effective method for the identification of patients with tracheobronchial foreign bodies.

Keyword

Bronchoscopy; Foreign bodies

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Bronchoscopes
Bronchoscopy*
Child*
Cyanosis
Diagnosis*
Foreign Bodies*
Humans
Lung
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Physical Examination
Retrospective Studies