[Tracheobronchial foreign bodies in childhood].

We report a clinical review of 1,980 cases of tracheobronchial foreign bodies in children aged between 0 months and 14 years old. In all of them the foreign bodies were removed through a rigid bronchoscope. The following conclusions arose: bronchoscopy in childhood must be done under general anesthesia. If the appropriate instruments, are not available, the removal of the foreign body must be postponed; the entire respiratory system must be explored during a bronchoscopy as it is likely to find multiple foreign bodies. We must insist that families keep potential foreign bodies out of reach from their children; in chronic respiratory diseases during childhood, the presence of a foreign body must be considered.