OBJECTIVE: most foreign bodies in the airway are removed by respiratory endoscopy. Rarely, the removal of the foreign body has to be performed through endoscopic control by tracheotomy or tracheostomy. This article reports three cases of foreign body removal in children performed by tracheal opening. DESCRIPTION: retrospective review of records with report of three cases of children who aspirated foreign bodies into the airway. In the first case, there was rupture of the tracheostomy tube, with aspiration of its distal portion. Endoscopic removal was performed by tracheostomy. The second child aspirated a pen cap. It could not be removed by endoscopy because it would not pass through the subglottic region. Cervical tracheotomy was performed and the foreign body was removed with endoscopic control. In the last case, the foreign body was in the left main bronchus. It was removed by bronchoscopy through tracheostomy opening. All children presented good outcome after the endoscopic procedure. The trachea of the patient submitted to tracheotomy was sutured after the foreign body removal. Tracheostomy was not necessary. In the children with previous tracheostomy, the tube was put back after the foreign body removal. COMMENTS: most foreign bodies in the airway of children can be removed by endoscopy. When the foreign body is too large to pass through the subglottic region, or so sharp that it can injure the airway, the use of tracheotomy or tracheostomy is indicated.
airway foreign body; tracheotomy; bronchoscopy