Bravo® capsule (BC) (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) endoscopy is a reliable, viable, and well-tolerated diagnostic modality for resistant gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Common complications of the procedure include early dislodgment, poor transmission, and premature removal due to intractable pain, while aspiration of the capsule is exceedingly rare. This paper reports a case of BC aspiration in a 52-year-old female who presented after being ventilated when her oxygen saturation dropped. The initial chest radiograph revealed that the BC was in the right main bronchus; the site was further elaborated by flexible endoscopy and the capsule was found to be in the right lower lobe bronchus distal to the bronchus intermedius. This was followed by a rigid bronchoscopy and extraction of the capsule with rigid grasper forceps. Although this occurs rarely, immediate endotracheal intubation and ventilator support is the preferred emergency step in such cases until bronchoscopic removal can be performed.
Keywords: endoscopy; gastroesophageal reflux; ventilation.