Endoscopic intervention of lower airway foreign matter in adults—a different perspective

Lower respiratory tract foreign bodies (FB) are more commonly encountered (75-85% of all cases) in children than in adults, with incidences peaking in those under 3 years of age (1,2). It is rare in the latter, with an estimated incidence of 0.2% to 0.33% of all bronchoscopies performed (3-5). However, bronchoscopists have encountered increasing need to remove foreign matter (FM) entering and lodging in the lower airway. This study reviews the classification of lower airway FM, emerging trends of treatment in a tertiary academic hospital, and the implication with regards to the differences in intervention compared to published literature on lower airway FB in adults