Foreign Body Retrieval by Using Flexible Cryoprobe in Children

Background: Foreign body aspiration (FBA) can be a life-threatening emergency and the cause of significant morbidity and mortality in children. Although rigid bronchoscopy is considered as the treatment of choice for the retrieval of foreign bodies (FBs) among pediatrics, extraction with the flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope (FFB) has become increased in popularity over the last few years. Recently, though there have been some reports about the use of cryoprobes as tools for the removal of FBs in adults, there is a limited experience concerning pediatrics, especially during the infancy period. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of FBs and cryoextraction as the new method of treatment. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 50 pediatric patients with FBA who were managed by using the flexible cryoprobes to evaluate their outcomes between September 2013 and October 2018. Results: A total of 50 children ranging in age from 7 months to 15 years underwent cryoextraction for the airway FBA retrieval with FFB using a cryoprobe. The main symptoms patients complained of were choking, cyanosis, cough, and noisy breathing. History, clinical examination, and finally radiologic examination were the diagnostic tools. The treatment consisted of FFB using cryoprobes under slight general anesthesia with maintaining the patient’s spontaneous breathing. Using cryoextraction turned to be very useful. Conclusion: Using cryoextraction can be a reliable and preferred method with minimal complications for extracting airway FBs among children, especially those that have a friable texture.