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The aim was to study the quantitative indicators and structure of the distribution of the glands in human main bronchi in the age aspect.Material and methods. The object of the study was the glands in the walls of the main bronchi, obtained as a single complex together with the lower part of the trachea, including the area of bifurcation. Samples were taken from 110 corpses of people in the age range from the neonatal period to 87 years (10 observations in each age group), who died from causes not related to the pathology of the respiratory system and did not have pathological changes in the respiratory system at autopsy. For micro-macroscopy using an MBS-9 binocular microscope, the glands in the walls of the main bronchi were selectively stained with methylene blue according to R.D. Sinelnikov, followed by fixation in a saturated solution of ammonium picric acid. The following characteristics were analyzed: the shape of the glands, their total number on the total preparation, the density of their location (the number of the mouths of the excretory ducts per 1 cm2), the width of their initial section. Due to the normal distribution of the data, the methods of parametric statistics based on the Statistica 6.0 program were used for statistical data processing. Statistical data processing included the calculation of the arithmetic mean indicators, their errors, the analysis of the amplitude of the variation series of each indicator was carried out.Results. The performed macro-microscopic examination revealed an asymmetry in the distribution of glands – the number and density of distribution of glands was 1.50–2.10 times higher (p Conclusion. The revealed age, regional and individual features of the structure of the glandular apparatus of the main human bronchi may be of interest both in scientific research and in clinical practice, forming a basic description of the structural norm.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether fetal ultrasound could determine bronchial isomerism and distinguish left isomerism from right isomerism. Methods: We identified 110 healthy fetuses and 28 fetuses with isomerism. The outer angle between the tracheal midline and the inner margin of the bronchus is measured. The bronchial angles and the ratio of left/right bronchial angle were used to differentiate bronchial morphology and confirm the presence of bronchial isomerism in pathological cases. Results: The normal angles of the left and right bronchi were 146.98° (95% CI, 145.15–147.81°) and 167.37° (95% CI, 166.30–168.44°), separately. The cutoff bronchial angle of 156.5° was used to distinguish left bronchus from right bronchus. The bronchial isomerism could be identified in all pathological cases by autopsy and bronchial-atrial concordance occurred in 27 pathological cases (96.4%). In 21 pathological cases, the bilateral bronchial angle was 156.5 differentiated left from right isomerism, respectively. The ratio of the left/right bronchial angle of >0.935 identified 92.9% (26/28) of all pathological cases, with a sensitivity of 89.7%. Conclusions: Fetal ultrasound can detect the bronchial morphology and the presence of bronchial isomerism in fetuses with isomerism according to bronchial angles and the ratio of left/right bronchial angle.

Compression of the left bronchus by a right-sided descending aorta arising from a left aortic arch constitutes an exceedingly rare form of vascular ring. This manuscript describes the surgical technique that involves translocation of the descending aorta directly to the proximal ascending aorta, thereby relieving the bronchial compression.

Introduction: Hydatid disease is a parasitic infestation caused by Echinococcus granulosus in which human is accidental intermediate host. Lung is the most common site involved in children unlike adults, where liver is involved. Case report: 13-year-old girl who was asymptomatic, was found to have reduced air entry on left side during health checkup. Chest radiography (CXR) was suggestive of radio-opaque lesion obscuring left cardiac border and left dome of diaphragm. CT chest report was suggestive of intrapulmonary hydatid cyst. However, few hours after admission, she developed anaphylactic reaction which was managed successfully with adrenaline and steroids. Repeat chest readiograph was suggestive of decreased opacity, air fluid level noticed on dependent part of left lung. Rupture of the cyst was suspected. She underwent left thoracotomy and evacuation of hydatid cyst was done. Intra-operative findings were suggestive of broken endocyst, thoracic cavity filled with fluid with multiple bronchial openings. Conclusion: Hydatid cyst despite of its thick covering layers, undergoes spontaneous rupture occasionally. Anaphylactic shock due to rupture of cyst is a life threatening complication.

Background Iatrogenic bronchial injury during an esophageal surgery is a severe complication. Hence, immediate treatment is necessary to avoid further pulmonary complications and death. We present a case of an intraoperative bronchial injury caused by a bronchial tube cuff during a full robotic-assisted Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy (RAMIE). Case report A 64-year old patient with adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus was planned for a RAMIE after completing neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy. Before beginning the thoracic phase, the anesthesist reported an airway leakage during the ventilation. During the transthoracic robotic assisted esophagectomy a perforation of the left main bronchus caused by the cuff of the double-lumen tube was found. Due to the diameter of the defect (1/2 inch) direct suturing was not possible. Therefore, we used a stalked pericardial patch to robotically oversew the perforation. The precise agility using the robotic DaVinci system was very useful treating this perforation minimally- invasively during the RAMIE without conversion. The rest of the surgery including the gastric pull-up and intrathoracic anastomosis was carried out without further complication. The patient had a normal postoperative course and showed no signs of any pulmonary restrictions or any other morbidity. The patient was discharged fully enteralised and in good conditions at the 9th postoperative day. The histopathological stage was ypT3, N2(4/21), L0, V0, Pn0, R0 (stage IIIB in 7th UICC). Conclusion This case report points out the great possibilities of robotic surgery dealing with unexpected complications during complex operations. Robot-assisted complex suturing is a great advantage in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, especially during sewing a pericardium-flap onto the left bronchus perforation during an esophagectomy.

Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration is rare in adults. In adults it usually happens in a state of impaired alertness. We report a case of aspiration of a partial denture in an alert patient who presented with minimal symptoms. She was successfully treated with removal of the impacted denture from the left lower lobe bronchus by rigid bronchoscopy.

We report on a patient with perimembranous ventricular septal defect and pulmonary hypertension. He underwent pulmonary artery banding followed by external stenting of the left bronchus because of secondary bronchomalacia. The external stent applied was a ringed expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft, 10 mm in diameter and fixed at 8 points. Intracardiac repair was performed at the age of 2 years and the external stent was left in place. Since then, the patient has been healthy and computed tomography reveals that the external stent graft has retained function for over 20 years.

Goal: The clinical case is presented to describe the successful use of valve bronchial block (installation endobronchial valve into the bronchus) for treatment of cavities in the 15 year old female adolescent with bilateral pulmonary tuberculosis. Results. The X-ray examination showed the healing of cavities in 3 months after installation of endobronchial valve. The endobronchial valve stayed in the upper zone left bronchus for 6 months and it was successfully removed through bronchoscopy upon the treatment completion.

Mucous plugs occur in a number of pulmonary conditions. Central right or left bronchus mucus plug causes complete pulmonary collapse making it an emergency life-threatening case. We describe the case of an 80-year-old man that, in postoperative period after a urological intervention, has had a progressive tachypnea and dyspnea during hospitalization for urological problems. Young surgeon on call was called.

Aneurysmal dilatation of the vertical vein in a case of supracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) is an extremely rare condition. It has been reported to occur secondary to severe compression of the vertical vein when it traverses between the left bronchus and the left pulmonary artery. We present a 14-year-old male with supracardiac TAPVC with a vertical vein aneurysm, probably secondary to stenosis caused by a thin membranous web just proximal to the aneurysm.

A 17-year-old female presented with mild cyanosis. Imaging showed supracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connections with a vertical vein travelling between the left pulmonary artery and the left bronchus with significant obstruction. There was a huge post-stenotic aneurysm of the vertical vein.

Foreign body aspirations that are not recognized at the time of aspiration can lead to insidious symptoms that can present a diagnostic challenge. We report the case of a 70-year-old man presenting with postobstructive pneumonia 2 months after aspirating his own tooth during a meal. He had been mistakenly diagnosed with asthma and treated with bronchodilators before a computed tomography scan of the thorax revealed the impacted tooth in his left bronchus. We review the clinical features and microbiology of postobstructive pneumonia and discuss the rationale of its treatment.

Emergency Department, Cannizzaro Hospital, and Department of Surgical Sciences, Organ Transplantation and Advanced Technologies, University of Catania, Cannizzaro Hospital, Catania, Italy Reprint Address: Gaetano La Greca, MD, PHD, FACS, Emergency Department and Department of Surgical Sciences, Organ Transplantation and Advanced Technologies, University of Catania, Cannizzaro Hospital, Via Messina 354, Catania 95126, Italy

Purpose: Comparison of multidetector-row CT (MDR-CT) of the chest with and without ECG triggering for the detection of pulmonary metastases. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with malignant tumors underwent CT of the chest. The unenhanced phase was performed with ECG-triggered MDR-CT and the contrast-enhanced phase with helical MDR-CT. The ECG-triggered and standard helical scans were interpreted in separate sessions, with the analysis determining the number and demarcation of the intrapulmonary nodules and the delineation of the mediastinal structure (rated 1 = excellent to 5 = poor). Results: ECG-MDR-CT images detected 38% more pulmonary nodules than MDR-CT. The detection rate for tumors < 5 mm was 64% higher in ECG-triggered scans. The median demarcation rating of all pulmonary findings was 2 for ECG-MDR-CT and 3 for MDR-CT. The median demarcation rating of tumors < 5 mm was 3 for ECG-MDR-CT and 4 for MDR-CT. Mediastinal structures were better delineated by ECG-triggering. The median demarcation rating of the vessels and left bronchus was 2 for ECG-MDR-CT and 4 for MDR-CT. Detection rate and demarcation rating of pulmonary tumors and the delineation of mediastinal structures were not significant different for either CT technique. Conclusion: Our study indicates superiority for ECG-MDR-CT.

Pediatric population is more prone for accidents such as foreign body aspiration. It is an important and preventable cause of mortality and morbidity in children. Pill aspiration is one of the rare causes foreign body aspiration in both children and adults. History is crucial and can guide treatment in case of foreign body aspiration. We present a 5 year old child who had history and examination suggestive of pneumonia which turned out to be a foreign body in left bronchus on computed tomography. The foreign body was a half broken tablet of Co-trimoxazole removed by rigid bronchoscopy without any complication. The child’s symptoms improved satisfactorily following removal.

A 30 years old man presented with history of cough with expectoration, and fever off and on for the last many years with no history of haemoptysis. He was often treated by a course of antibiotics, expectorants and bronchodilators by the physicians. He was also given a course of Anti Tubercular Treatment (ATT) for the 6 months by some physician but without any relief. On a detailed interaction and history taking patient did give a doubtful history of aspiration of foreign body during his childhood, after which he began to develop repeated episodes of cough and fever. X-rays of the chest didn’t reveal any foreign body. Computed Tomography (CT) scan chest revealed left lower lobe bronchiectasis with collection in the left lower lobe basal segment with pleural collection around it. Surgical intervention was undertaken and left lower lobe lobectomy was done. A foreign body in the form of plastic whistle was removed from the bronchus.

We performed anterior translocation of the pulmonary artery (Le-Compte's maneuver) in a patient with an atrial septal defect with long standing complete collapse of the left lung due to extrinsic compression of the left bronchus by a dilated pulmonary artery. Following the closure of the septal defect and anterior translocation of the pulmonary artery, there was immediate relief of airway obstruction followed by reexpansion of the collapsed lung. (J Card Surg 2011;26:111-113)

Study objectives: The mechanisms involved in the impairment of mucociliary function after lung transplantation are not completely understood. The purpose of the present study was to isolate the effects of unilateral bronchial transection and reanastomosis in a rat model. Design: In situ bronchial mucociliary transport (MCT) was determined proximal and distal to the bronchial anastomosis, as well as in the right bronchus, in 48 rats classified into six groups: intact rats, and rats at 1 day, 2 days, 7 days, 15 days, and 30 days after bronchial transection and reanastomosis of the left main stem bronchus. In vitro mucus transportability and mucus contact angle were studied in another group of eight rats after 1 week of surgery. Results: Distal to the anastomosis site, left bronchus in situ MCT (mean 6 SD) was 0.26 6 0.19 mm/min for the intact group, and 0.11 6 0.13 mm/min, 0.07 6 0.04 mm/min, 0.03 6 0.04 mm/min, 0.07 6 0.12 mm/min, and 0.05 6 0.06 mm/min for 1 day, 2 days, 7 days, 15 days, and 30 days after surgery, respectively (all significantly reduced, p < 0.05). No intergroup differences were found proximal to the anastomosis (p 5 0.30). When comparing the left and right bronchi, differences were detected in both distal (p < 0.0001) and proximal sides (p 5 0.0001). No significant differences in mucus transportability in vitro were found (p 5 0.15). Mucus contact angle of the left bronchus (52.8 6 20.5°) was significantly greater than that of the mucus from the right bronchus (34.4 6 12.9°; p < 0.05). Conclusions: We conclude that bronchial transection and reanastomosis lead to a marked impairment of MCT in distal airways, which can in part be explained by alterations in the surface properties of mucus. (CHEST 2001; 119:1510 ‐1515)

The MRI examination was carried out in a formalin-fixed specimen of the Ganges River dolphin (Platanista gangetica), one of the evolutionary primitive species of cetaceans. We could morphologically elucidate the tracheobronchial ramification in the intact whole body. We demonstrated from the MRI sections that the characteristic tracheal bronchus branches from the trachea at the cranial portion. These findings suggest the phylogenetic relationships between cetaceans and artiodactyls. The left bronchus is obviously larger in diameter than the right one. We suggest that the right bronchus has smaller capacity of gas exchange than the left one, because the dolphin possesses the tracheal bronchus in the right lung. The MRI method will be important in the non-invasive study of the anatomy in endangered animal carcass as Ganges River dolphin.

A statistical study was made of foreign bodies in the trachea and bronchi of 34 patients (male:female=23:11) hospitalized at our clinic between 1982 and 1998. Nineteen patients were under 3 years of age. Fifteen cases (44%) had aspirated peanuts. The chief complaints were coughing, wheezing and fever. In radiological diagnoses, emphysema and atelectasis were found in some cases. MRI should be performed when the possibility of a foreign body is not completely excluded, even though it is not apparently suggested by an interview, physical examination, or chest X-ray.Foreign bodies were found under direct bronchoscopy in the trachea of 5 patients, in the right bronchus in 17 patients and in the left bronchus in 12 patients. These were all removed by means of a ventilation bronchoscope under general anesthesia without any complications.

左主気管支の内腔まで浸潤の及んだ進行胸部食道癌に対し, 左主気管支の環状合併切除を伴う手術を施行した.症例はImの2型進行癌を持つ76歳の男性で, 術前気管支内視鏡で左主気管支内腔に腫瘍浸潤を認めた.手術は右開胸で行い胸部食道全摘および約3cmの左主気管支を環状に切除.分離肺換気および術野挿管にて酸素化後, high frequency jet ventilation (以下, HFJV) 加換気停止下に気道再建を行った.消化管は後縦隔経路で大網を付けた胃管を挙上し頸部で吻合し, 後縦隔内に大網を充填した.食道癌手術での気管支合併切除時における換気停止下の気管支再建および後縦隔経路の大網付き胃管挙上法は簡便かつ有効な方法と考えられる.

Bronchial carcinoids are very rare and are characterized by slow endobronchial growth. They may attain huge size but are potentially curable with surgical resection. We report a 70-years-old male with massive life threatening hemoptysis and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IV dyspnea. He underwent successful surgical resection of a giant typical carcinoid, which was compressing the pulmonary artery, completely obstructing the left bronchus and partially occluding the right bronchus.

A statistical study was made of 69 cases of tracheo-bronchial foreign bodies treated at our clinic during the 16 years from 1978 to 1994. Fifty-five cases (80%) were under 3 years of age and 38 cases (55%) were one-year-old babies. The foreign bodies were found in the right bronchus in 24 patients, in the left bronchus in 32 patients, and in the trachea in 6 patients. Of the various kinds of foreign bodies removed, peanuts predominated (34 cases, 49.3%). The foreign bodies were removed by means of a ventilation bronchoscope under general anesthesia. Most of the cases were treated within a few days successfully. However, the longest period of lodgement was 87 days.

One hundred seventy cases of tracheo-bronchial foreign bodies, treated at our clinic between 1967 and 1995, were analyzed. Most of the tracheo-bronchial foreign bodies were observed in infants under 2 years of age. Eighty-four cases had aspirated peanuts. Foreign bodies were found in the trachea of 32 cases, in the right bronchus of 65 cases, in the left bronchus of 72 cases, and in both bronchi in 1 case. Almost all of the foreign bodies was removed by using a ventilation bronchoscope under general anesthesia.

A prospective analysis of placement of left-sided plastic double-lumen tubes in 100 patients is presented. Intubation of the left bronchus was successfully accomplished using only auscultation and clinical signs (“blind” placement) in 91 patients. Double-lumen tubes were positioned in less than five minutes in 84 patients. The most common problem encountered (30%) was initial intubation of the right main bronchus. Seven of these patients required bronchoscopic assistance to guide the tube into the left bronchus. There were four minor intraoperative complications due to DLT malposition that were recognized and corrected by withdrawing the tube slightly back in the bronchus. The plastic double-lumen tubes functioned properly during the procedure in all 100 patients.

We present a patient with the combination of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), large omphalocele, and hypoplastic left bronchus who underwent a modified Norwood procedure and was successfully discharged home. The child required tracheostomy with home ventilation and we elected to delay the primary repair of the omphalocele. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case with this combination of anomalies surviving till hospital discharge. Our experience demonstrates the potential viability of patients with concurrent HLHS, large abdominal wall defects, and airway anomalies and may additionally advocate for delayed repair of large omphaloceles in patients with complex congenital heart disease.

A statistical study was made on foreign bodies in the trachea and bronchi in 59 patients (male: female=40: 19) hospitalized in our clinic between 1976 and 1991. Forty-nine patients were under 2 years of age. Peanuts predominated (37 cases, 62.7%) in the kinds of foreign bodies. The foreign bodies were found in the right bronchus in 24 patients, in the left bronchus in 21 patients and in trachea in 8 patients.

A 21-month-old male has complained of fever and cough for two weeks. Dec. 2, 1989, because of suspection of pneumonia, X-ray examination was done. The radiograph revealed a foreign body shadow of a safety-pin and pneumonia in the left bronchus. It was not obvious when he had aspirated the safety-pin. In January 11, 1990, providing thracotomy and extracorporeal circulation in advance, the foreign body was removed in three pieces with ventiration bronchoscope through a tracheostoma. The safety-pin was 26×6 mm in size and has been eroded. No sever postoperative complication was observed. He was discharged 4 weeks after the operation. One hundred and ninety four cases of foreign bodies in the air way were treated in our department during past 32 years. Male to female ratio in our cases was about 2.2: 1. One hundred and twenty six cases of these foreign bodies were peanuts. This is the first case of safety-pin in our department.

Foreign body (FB) aspiration is commonly seen in children but less commonly in adolescents. Headscarf pin aspiration is common in Muslim girls, who inappropriately place the pins between their lips while securing the scarf on the head. Bronchoscopy is the treatment modality of choice, and surgery is rarely required. An 11-year-old girl was admitted as a case of accidental aspiration of headscarf pin. X-ray chest showed a radiopaque object in the left bronchus piercing the lung parenchyma. Computed tomography (CT) chest confirmed the diagnosis. The headscarf pin was removed by flexible bronchoscopy as the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeon failed to remove it by rigid bronchoscopy. The FB was removed successfully and the patient was discharged home. Removal of a sharp pin by bronchoscopy is difficult, especially if it pierces the lung parenchyma. In our case, the pin was bent by forceps and then removed by a flexible bronchoscope, which requires a highly skilled professional.

This study was designed to determine whether left bronchial intubation could be accomplished by reversal of the direction of the bevel or by changing the direction of curvature of a normal tracheal tube. The 60 study patients were divided into three groups. In group 1, the patients were intubated in the usual manner, with bevel to the left and the tube concave anteriorly. In group 2, the normal tracheal tube was rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise during insertion. In group 3, the bevel of the tracheal tube was altered to face the right, with the tube still concave anteriorly. In group 1, all 20 tracheal tubes entered the right primary bronchus. In group 2, 14 tracheal tubes (70%) entered the left primary bronchus. In group 3, 18 tubes entered the right primary bronchus and 2 entered the left. The position of the bevel did not influence the positioning of the tracheal tube in the right or left bronchus. In summary, 90 degrees counterclockwise rotation from the usual position and altering the concavity of the tube to face the left significantly increased the likelihood of intubation of the left primary bronchus.

The patient was a 75 year old woman with a past medical history of uncontrolled hypertension and recent type-A aortic dissection post graft repair. She presented with a sudden onset of sharp mid-back pain which awoke her from sleep. In the emergency room a chest x-ray revealed numerous features consistent with a de novo type B aortic dissection which was ultimately confirmed by magnetic resonance angiography of the chest and abdomen. This dissection extended from the left subclavian artery to the right renal artery. There was no evidence of end-organ mal-perfusion and the patient was medically managed by way of blood pressure control.

Airway obstruction of endotracheal tubes may occur during general anaesthesia. A case is reported where endobronchial intubation and inflation of the cuff caused herniation into the left bronchus before the malpositioning had been corrected. This led to a cuff herniation that caused airway obstruction at the end of anaesthesia. The regional overinflation of the tubes cuff could be reproduced by a model by other tubes of the same type. Malpositioning of endotracheal tubes may cause cuff herniation that potentially leads to acute airway obstruction.

A patient who suffered two previous myocardium revascularization surgeries, ten and twenty years ago, respectively, showed a history of dyspnea, chest pain and hemoptysis suddenly. In the folllowing examinations, a big saphenous vein bypass graft aneurysm was observed to the left marginal artery, partially broked up in the left bronchus. The aneurysm was corrected sucessfully, but the patient died 15 days after the surgery due to a pulmonary infection.

This explanation of the previously described left bronchus syndrome (Ashour et al., 1990, Thorax, 45:210–212) is based on a prospective study of 17 additional cases with unilateral lung destruction. It is likely that the anatomic peculiarities of the left main bronchus predispose the left lung to more frequent bronchial obstruction and hemodynamic changes than the right. Broncho-pulmonary shunt formation and retrograde filling of the pulmonary artery most likely lead to increased oxygen tension and impaired lymph flow in the entire lung, thus spreading tuberculosis in the lung and ultimately leading to left lung destruction. © 1995 WiIey-Liss, Inc.

We report here, the case of a six-and-a-half-month-old boy investigated for persistent respiratory distress and homogeneous opacity in the left upper lobe. Echocardiography revealed a giant ductal aneurysm compressing the left pulmonary artery and upper lobe division of the left bronchus. Computerized tomography angiogram delineated the exact anatomy and prompt surgical resection provided a successful cure to this lesser known entity.

Air leakage and necrotic degeneration may occur after bronchial anastomosis and can lead to death from secondary pneumothorax and pneumonia. We studied the ability of a new tissue adhesive (N-butyl-cyanoacrylate monomer) to enforce the bronchial suture line. The left main bronchus in each of five pigs in Group A was completely transected and closed by four stitches and tissue adhesive. The transected left main bronchus in each of the other five pigs in Group B was connected with 11 to 14 interrupted polyglycolic acid 3-0 sutures. The time required for reconstruction was 10 ± 3.6 minutes in Group A and 25.0 ± 6.5 minutes in Group B. No symptoms of a constricted airway were apparent in Group A. All pigs were examined at an interval of from 5 to 8 weeks after operation. Evidence of infection at the bronchus appeared in three animals: two in Group A and one in Group B. One instance of air leakage at the anastomosis occurred in Group B. We measured the maximum tensile strength of the bronchial suture line by means of an electromechanical testing machine comparing the tensile strength of the treated left bronchus with that of the control right bronchus. The maximum tension of the treated bronchus in Group A was 10.3 ± 1.52 (pounds) and that of control was 8.0 ± 1.56 (pounds) (p

Total tracheal reconstruction with a reversed segment of left bronchus was attempted in a 3-month-old infant with an extensive tracheal stenosis. The patient survived for 48 hours. The details of the procedure and its potential applications are discussed.

1. One hundred and three cases of trachea-bronchial and esophageal foreign bodies treated in Miyazaki Medical College and Miyazaki Prefectural Hospital during the past nine years were statistically analyzed and reported.2. In regard to the esophageal foreign bodies, coins ranked first and followed by fish bones and pieces of meat. Sixty percent of foreign bodies were radiolucent.3. In regard to the tracheo-bronchial foreign bodies, beans were found in seventy percent of cases. Unexpectedly, the foreign bodies were lodged in the left bronchus 2.5 times more frequently than in the right bronchus.4. Effectiveness of capsule esophagography and pulmonary scintigraphy was evaluated in cases of radiolucent foreign bodies.