Laser-assisted removal of a foreign body in the bronchial system of an infant.
OBJECTIVE
Foreign body aspiration is an important cause of acute respiratory distress in children. Removal by use of rigid tracheobronchoscopy under general anesthesia is usually the treatment of choice, but this technique is sometimes unsuccessful. Thoracotomy in these instances often cannot be avoided.


METHODS
Case report with review of the literature. The patient was 19 months old with an aspirated foreign body. A Neodym:YAG laser with a special small-size delivery system was inserted into the rigid "baby" bronchoscope. The Neodymium:YAG laser with a wave-length of 1,064 nm and a Helium-Neon 630 nm light guide provided an aiming beam to weaken and cut the aspirated chicken bone.


RESULTS
The foreign body could be easily removed with a regular biopsy forceps.


CONCLUSIONS
We discuss a patient in whom laser-assisted rigid tracheobronchoscopy obviated the need for thoracotomy.
Boelcskei
P L
PL
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Center for Internal Medicine, Nuremberg, Germany.
Wagner
M
M
Lessnau
K K
KK
D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000601:surgery; D001980:Bronchi; D020680:Bronchoscopes; D002645:Chickens; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009354:Neodymium; D015019:Yttrium
D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D009354:Neodymium; D015019:Yttrium