Outcomes after rigid bronchoscopy in children with suspected or confirmed foreign body aspiration: A retrospective study

Objective: To identify the determinants of immediate outcome after rigid bronchoscopy for suspected or confirmed foreign body (FB) aspiration. The outcome may be affected by the duration of bronchoscopy, the type of FB, the time between inhalation and removal of the FB, and the type of anesthetic induction. Arterial desaturation, bronco-laryngospasm, and the need for tracheal reintubation as complications were investigated. Design: A retrospective study. Setting: A single tertiary care center. Participants: One hundred seventy-five children who underwent rigid bronchoscopy. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Age, duration after suspected or witnessed inhalation before bronchoscopy, and the type of FB had no relationship to the occurrence of complications. The prolongation of bronchoscopy beyond 30 minutes was associated with a significant increase in complications as was the use of intravenous rather than inhalation induction of anesthesia. Conclusions: Reducing the bronchoscopy time may not be an option, but an awareness of the risk of complications may prompt a more intense postanesthesia monitoring strategy.