Role of Fibre Optic Bronchoscopy in Foreign Body Inhalation in Children

Foreign body (FB) inhalation in is the most common cause of accidental death in children under the age of one year [1]. The majority of inhaled FBs are food items [2-4]. Prevention and rapid diagnosis can be save lives [5-7]. The clinical presentation and radiological findings may vary, can change with time, can be interpreted differently by different examiners and/or may even be normal [8-11]. Inhalation of an FB can result in sudden suffocation, choking, and paroxysms of coughing, followed by tachypnea and dyspnea. The indications for bronchoscopy in cases of suspected FB inhalation are not well defined. Usually, a clear history of sudden suffocation, a choking event combined with abnormal chest examination, or radiologic findings are accepted as reliable criteria justifying the performance of bronchoscopy. A dilemma arises when a child with a suspected inhalation event presents with a normal physical examination or a normal chest radiograph.