Endobronchial removal of the high-risk osseous foreign bodies with evaluation and planning by virtual navigation system

We report herein on two cases where high-risk osseous foreign bodies that incarcerated or penetrated the bronchial wall. The foreign bodies were unable to be removed via flexible bronchoscope (FB), with the foreign bodies close to the pulmonary artery and aortic artery. After preoperative evaluation and planning with the virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) system, the airway foreign bodies were extracted effectively and safely using advanced therapeutic endoscopic technique by rigid bronchoscope (RB), thus avoiding the surgical thoracotomy.