Foreign body removal is an emergency or urgent procedure to extract objects accidentally inhaled or swallowed. Children are most often affected, but adults can also aspirate or ingest items such as food, bones, dental appliances, or small objects. Depending on where the item is lodged — the larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), or esophagus (swallowing tube) — symptoms may include coughing, choking, wheezing, pain, or inability to swallow or speak.

The procedure is done under general anesthesia using a rigid or flexible scope and grasping tools. The surgeon carefully removes the object while minimizing trauma to the delicate airway and surrounding tissues. Most patients recover quickly and resume normal activities shortly after. Rare complications include bleeding, swelling, or vocal changes, especially if the object was sharp or in place for a long time. Follow-up depends on the situation but may involve imaging or repeat endoscopy to ensure no remaining injury.