Which procedure is indicated to remove a large foreign-body airway obstruction in a child?

• A. Rigid bronchoscopy
• B. Flexible bronchoscopy
• C. Bronchial lavage
• D. Thoracentesis

Answer: (A)

When a child has a large foreign body blocking the airway, the priority is to securely visualize and remove it while keeping the airway open. Rigid bronchoscopy provides a stiff, wide conduit that maintains airway patency and allows ventilation during the procedure, plus a large channel for grasping tools to retrieve the object intact. This makes it the best option for removing big, central airway foreign bodies. Flexible bronchoscopy can be used for certain distal or smaller objects, but it has a smaller working channel and less secure airway control for removing a large object. Bronchial lavage is for washing secretions, not extracting a solid obstruction, and thoracentesis drains the pleural space, not the airway.