Abstract
BACKGROUND:Bronchoscopy is widely used diagnostic and therapeutic tools in pulmonary medicine. Findings relatedto tumor effect, safety profile and patient presentation were explained for patients referred tobronchoscopy unit.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the bronchoscopic findings combined with clinical presentation and radiologicalappearance as well as determining safety for patients referred to bronchoscopy unit.METHOD:Fiberoptic bronchoscopy arranged for 101 patients included, 69 males and 32 females. Age range 50.7-67.3 years at the bronchoscopy unit in Baghdad teaching hospital. Review of history and clinicalexamination performed. Inspection of tracheobronchial tree and appropriate sampling of visible lesionswere performed.RESULTS:Cough was the major presenting symptoms (64.3%), followed by dyspnea (28.7%) and hemoptysis(17.8%). Involvement of vocal cord seen in 12.8%, tracheal lesions in 15.8% of patients. Carinaldistortion observed in 2.9%. The right bronchial tree involved more than left one (39.6% and 29.7%respectively). Mass and/ or nodules are the main findings detected (82%), followed by bronchialnarrowing due to tumor effect in 42.5%. In tumors located in the main bronchi 96% were more than2cm from the carina. No mortality was recorded, while bleeding occur in 2.9%, hypoxemia in 4.9%,and fever in 0.9% of patients.CONCLUSION:With flexible bronchoscopy, endobronchial mass and associated neoplastic bronchial wall lesions werefrequently found in patients referred for lung tumor evaluation. It is a very safe procedure. Cough,dyspnea and hemoptysis were the commonest presenting symptoms for patients referred forbronchoscopy.
Recommended Citation
Nema, Mustafa
(2016)
"Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy Findings, Safety and Clinical Presentation of 101 Patients Referred for Lung Tumor Evaluation in Baghdad Teaching Hospital,"
Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal: Vol. 15:
Iss.
2, Article 6.
Available at:
https://www.ipmj.org/journal/vol15/iss2/6