A Case of Metallic Tracheostomy Tubes as Foreign Bodies Broken for a Long Time and Lodged in the Bilateral Main Bronchi

The case that fragments of metallic tracheostomy tubes lodged in bilateral main bronchi as foreign bodies rarely occurs. A 52-year-old male presented with excessive cough and purulent sputum induced by fragments of metallic tracheostomy tube in both main bronchi and the left pleural effusion. With the assistance of anesthesiologist with abundant experience, ventilating bronchoscopy under local anesthesia was attempted, and both the fragments of tubes were removed by the order of the right and the left. The patient showed the rapid improvement of symptoms after ventilating brochoscopy. This case is the first report in the world literatures that successful removal of fragments of metallic tracheostomy tube lodged in the both main bronchi as foreign bodies was done under local anesthesia maintaining self-respiration. (J Clinical Otolaryngol 2013;24:105–108)