Bronchoscopy and tracheotomy removal of bronchial foreign body.

On rare occasions, endoscopic extraction of airway foreign bodies is not feasible or may be associated with large risk for the patient; in those situations, open surgery is indicated. The authors report a case of an 8-year-old boy presenting with an airway foreign body that was too large to be extracted through the subglottic region. After several attempts, extraction was accomplished through a tracheotomy with bronchoscopic control. After removal, the cervical opening was closed. Since the tracheal suture was firm and without air leaks, a tracheostomy cannula was not placed. The tracheal tube was removed after 3 days. Follow-up 1 month after the procedure showed that all respiratory symptoms had disappeared. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.