“Why Break the Y”: A Novel Technique for Retrieval of an Impacted Airway Foreign Body

Abstract

Airway foreign body aspiration, particularly in the pediatric population, poses a critical and time-sensitive emergency due to the potential for rapid decompensation. We report a rare and challenging case of a Y-shaped fish bone lodged in the subglottic airway of a 3-year-old child, and a novel, innovative endoscopic retrieval technique was conceptualized on the table and employed to retrieve it. This case underscores the importance of individualized airway management strategies in complex pediatric airway foreign body cases. © 2025 Journal of Indian Association of Pediatric Surgeons.