Treatment

• Indication: stable patients with an upper airway FB if attempted maneuvers to dislodge an aspirated FB have failed

• Modalities: laryngoscopy (or nasal endoscopy)

• Procedure: Under direct visualization, the object is grasped and removed with forceps.

• Risks: Dislodgement of the object can lead to complete airway obstruction.

Bronchoscopy (gold standard)

• Indication: stable patients with confirmed/suspected lower airway FB if first-aid attempts to dislodge the FB have failed

• Type: flexible bronchoscopy or rigid bronchoscopy

• Procedure: retrieval of the FB under direct vision

Surgical management

• Indications

  • Failure of bronchoscopy to remove the FB

  • Destruction of surrounding lung tissue (e.g., bronchiectasis) in delayed presentations

• Procedure: thoracotomy with bronchotomy or segmental resection

• Atelectasis

• Postobstructive pneumonia, lung abscess

• In complete obstruction

  • Suffocation, asystole, and death

  • Hypoxia: brain damage