title: Tracheal foreign bodies: are radiographs misleading?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to highlight the pitfalls of relying on radiographs in identifying potentially life-threatening upper airway foreign bodies in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of the medical records of 2 cases of upper tracheal foreign body was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both patients presented with biphasic stridor refractory to medical therapy and chest radiographs that were normal. One patient had a history of witnessed aspiration while the other did not. Both patients were managed by endoscopic removal of foreign bodies in the operating room and experienced no long-term sequelae related to this event.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tracheal foreign bodies present a diagnostic challenge, and patients may fail to manifest radiographic abnormalities. In patients with a characteristic history and biphasic stridor, an endoscopic evaluation of the airway should be performed to avoid potentially devastating consequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-HNS, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Alice E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011859:Radiography; D014132:Trachea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries; D016896:Treatment Outcome