Rigid tracheobronchoscopy in the management of airway foreign bodies: 10 years experience in Kosovo

SummaryObjectivesTo review the incidence of tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration in the population of Kosovo and to evaluate the clinical features and management of tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration during a 10-year period.SettingTertiary medical institution, ENT/Head and Neck Surgery Clinic, University Clinical Center, Prishtina, Kosovo.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration who underwent rigid tracheobronchoscopy between January 1994 and December 2003.ResultsDuring a 10-year period, 244 rigid tracheobronchoscopy procedures were performed when foreign body aspiration was suspected. In 182 patients (75%), a foreign body was found and extirpated. Of these, 107 (59%) were male and 75 (41%) were female; 124 patients (68%) were aged 0–3 years and 36 (20%) were aged 4–7 years. The most commonly extirpated foreign bodies were peanuts (30% of cases) followed by beans (22.5%) and corn kernels (9%). Of 176 plain chest radiographs, 65% showed no signs of foreign bodies. Two patients (1.1%) died as result of complications related to foreign body aspiration.ConclusionRigid bronchoscopy represents a safe and effective tool in the management of foreign body aspiration. However, the high percentage of false-negative results on chest radiography in our series warrants further investigation.