Primary experience of video-assisted rigid laser bronchoscopy in treatment of tracheobronchial tumors

To review the primary experience of video-assisted rigid laser bronchoscopy in the treatment of tracheobronchial tumors.Methods From Sep.2002 to Nov.2004,13 patients (15 procedures) with tracheobronchial tumors were treated with video-assisted rigid bronchoscope.Benign tumors with small pedicles were removed directly.For benign tumors with wide pedicles or tumors extending beyond the wall of air-way,total enucleating through thoracotomy were employed.In cases with malignant tumors,stenosis or obstructions were relieved by implantation of stent or cautering with electric argoulaser knife.For malignant but resectable primary tumors of trachea and main bronchi,rigid bronchoscopy might serve as a preparation of radical resection.Results Of the 5 patients with benign tumors,4 received endoscopic total resection and 1 were conversed into thoracotomy.For the 8 malignant cases,3 received stent implantation,2 had palliative ablation 3 got curative resections through thoracotomy.No peri-operative complications or death occurred in this group.Conclusion Total resection of benign tracheobronchial tumors or palliative therapy for tracheobronchial malignant stenosis or preparation of radical resection can be performed safely and efficiently by video-assisted rigid bronchoscopy.5 refs.

Flexible bronchoscopy for foreign body aspiration in children:A single-centre experience

BACKGROUND The technological evolution of bronchoscopy has led to the widespread adoption of flexible techniques and their use for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.Currently,there is an active debate regarding the comparative efficacy and safety of rigid vs flexible bronchoscopy in the treatment of foreign body aspiration.AIM To evaluate our experience with tracheobronchial foreign body extraction using flexible bronchoscopy and provide a literature overview.METHODS This was a single-centre retrospective study.Twenty-four patients were enrolled between January 2017 and January 2023.Medical records of patients aged below 18 years who were admitted to authors’affiliated institution with a suspected diagnosis of foreign body aspiration were collected from hospital’s database to Microsoft Excel 2019.Data were analysed using MedCalc Statistical Software.RESULTS Patient ages varied from 9 months to 11 years.The median age was 23.5 months,95%confidence interval(CI)19.49-44.77.We observed age clustering in children with foreign body aspiration at our institution with three age subgroups:(1)0-25 months;(2)40-60 months;and(3)120-140 months.We expectancy of an organic tracheobronchial foreign body was significantly higher in 0-25 months subgroup than that in older ones when subgroups 40-60 and 120-140 months were combined together(odds ratio=10.0,95%CI:1.44-29.26,P=0.0197).Successful foreign body extraction was performed in all cases.Conversion to a rigid bronchoscope was not required in any of the cases.No major complications(massive bleeding,tracheobronchial tree perforation,or asphyxia)were observed.CONCLUSION Flexible bronchoscopy is an effective and safe method for tracheobronchial foreign body extraction in children.