Bronchoscopy for foreign body aspiration and effects of nebulized albuterol and budesonide combination

Objective: A foreign body aspiration in the tracheobronchial tree is a dangerous medical condition in the childhood period. Although rigid bronchoscopy is a safe procedure, it may cause complications. The aim of this study was to present our bronchoscopy experience and to evaluate the efficacy of pre‑operative administration of nebulized albuterol and budesonide combination for reducing intra-operative complications in foreign body aspirated cases.

Methods: In this retrospective study our pediatric cases in which a foreign body was removed from tracheobronchial tree in last 8 years were analyzed. After excluding the patients who needed emergent and negative bronchoscopies, the remaining clinically stable 84 patients were compared for the effects of preoperative administration of nebulized albuterol and budesonide combination on bronchoscopy complications.

Results: There were 51 boys (60.3%) and 33 girls (39.7%). There were 38 children in the non-nebulized group and 46 children in the nebulized group. We found that the combined albuterol and budesonide nebulization decrease complications such as arterial oxygen desaturation (p<0.05), and bronchospasm (p<0.05) during the bronchoscopic intervention.

Conclusion: Preoperative nebulization of albuterol and budesonide combination may decrease perioperative complications of bronchoscopy.