Cardiopulmonary bypass as a bridge for bronchial foreign body removal in a child with pulmonary artery sling A case report

Rationale: Successful removal of an airway foreign body (FB) in some intractable cases can be very challenging, because of tracheal anomalies, unstable respiratory status of the patients, and the location of FB. The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) support for the treatment of a FB is extremely rare. Patient concerns: We present a case of a 39-month-old previously healthy girl who was admitted to our hospital for suspected FB aspiration (FBA). Initially, the attempt for removal of the FB by conventional bronchoscopy failed because of hypoxic intolerance. Diagnoses: Bronchoscopy revealed tracheal anomalies and subsequent computed tomography angiography demonstrated the presence of a pulmonary artery sling (PAS), which confirmed the diagnosis of PAS accompanied with FBA. Interventions: With the assistance of CPB, multidisciplinary treatment involving the respiratory, cardiothoracic and anesthetic teams were involved and the bronchial FB was removed by flexible bronchoscopy successfully and then PAS was corrected by surgical intervention. Outcomes: The patient remained asymptomatic, without shortness of breath or wheezing during the 15 months follow-up. Lessons: This case highlights that in a complicated case of FBA, bronchoscopy and computed tomography imaging are of great importance to achieve an accurate diagnosis, and a multidisciplinary treatment approach is essential for a satisfactory outcome. If the patient is unstable for bronchoscopy, CPB can be temporarily used in the stabilization of the patient to allow safe removal of the FB.