Breakage of the wire cytology brush during fiberoptic bronchoscopy.

We read with interest the letter by Doctor Sanders (Chest 1983;83:935-56) regarding separation of the wire cytology brush from its attachment to the wire guide during bronchoscopy, and the letters by Doctors Malik and Behera (Chest 1984;85:837-38 and Chest 1985;86:147), Masa-Jimenez et al, and Weissberg (Chest 1985;86:156) regarding breakage of alligator forceps during bronchoscopy. We have experienced breakage of the wire cytology brush (Olympus BC-bC) while performing fiberoptic bronchoscopy (Olympus BF-1TR) in a 58-year-old woman with pulmonary density which proved to be infectious. The 1.8cm tip of the brush/wire was lost in the parenchyma of the right medial lobe beyond the view of the bronchoscopist. The foreign body presented itself on X-ray film (Fig 1). Under fluoroscopic guidance, it was removed from the medial segmental bronchus in the right medial lobe with a forceps (FB-19C-S) through a fiberoptic bronchoscope. We have been able to sort out the exact reason for the breakage. Junctional Ectopic Tachycardia in Adults Role of Thggered Activity