title: Bronchoscopic techniques for removal of foreign bodies in children's airways.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The management of airway foreign bodies (AFB) can be a dramatic situation in the emergency treatment of children and different techniques have been used to improve the therapeutic success and minimize risks.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to describe the bronchoscopic techniques used in the treatment of AFB in children referred to the Service of Respiratory Endoscopy of HC-FMUSP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of 78 children who underwent bronchoscopy for foreign body removal, at our Service from February 2003 to April 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  78 patients with an AFB, aged 08 months to 14 years, with 39 being organic and 39 inorganic foreign bodies. Nine foreign bodies were located in the central airway (four in the larynx and five in the trachea), 34 in the right bronchial tree and 33 in the left bronchial tree. There was bilateral aspiration in two cases. All patients were initially submitted to diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy. A rigid bronchoscope was used in 39 cases; a flexible bronchoscope in 23 and an association of techniques in 15 cases (rigid bronchoscopy, flexible bronchoscopy, suspension laryngoscopy, and fluoroscopy).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the rigid bronchoscopy is considered the main tool for the removal of foreign bodies from airways, other useful techniques deserve attention as part of the medical training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge and association of different methods in pediatric bronchoscopy add the benefits of one method to another, minimizing the chances of therapeutic failure.
authors.affiliation: Service of Respiratory Endoscopy of Hospital das Clinicas, FMUSP Prédio dos Ambulatórios, São Paulo SP, Brasil. ascedio@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ascedio Jose
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Evandro Alencar
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Scussiatto
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jacomelli
authors.forename: Paulo Rogério
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Scordamaglio
authors.forename: Marcelo Gervilla
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Gregório
authors.forename: Addy Lidvina Mejía
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Palomino
authors.forename: Eduardo Quintino
authors.initials: EQ
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Viviane Rossi
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000402:Airway Obstruction; D001980:Bronchi; D020680:Bronchoscopes; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D020704:Laryngoscopes; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007830:Larynx; D008168:Lung; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000628:therapy; D012137:Respiratory System; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014132:Trachea