title: The mean green popsicle: using cryotherapy to remove aspirated foreign bodies.
abstract: Foreign body (FB) aspiration can be a life-threatening event. Although more common in children, FB aspiration can occur at any age. Symptoms related to FB aspiration range from coughing and shortness of breath to asphyxiation. Chest imaging can be nonspecific and infrequently identifies an FB. Herein, we describe a case of a 54-year-old male patient who aspirated an FB and experienced respiratory arrest. He failed to improve with conservative measures and required emergent bronchoscopy. He was found to have an FB in his proximal left mainstem bronchus that could not be removed using standard bronchoscopy and he was referred to our center for definitive care. We used a cryotherapy probe to remove the FB. We propose that cryotherapy is a useful tool to remove FBs that are soft and amenable to freezing.
authors.affiliation: *Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati ‡Division of Pulmonary, Department of Internal Medicine, Drake Center, Cincinnati, OH †Division of Pulmonary, Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS), Tucson, AZ.
authors.forename: Joseph C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Seaman
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Knepler
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Mitchell
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rashkin