Experience with flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy
Jayasundera, C.
Ceylon Medical Journal 41(4): 131-134
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-0875 PMID: 9141755 Document Number: 468021
Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of fibreoptic bronchoscopy as an investigation in respiratory medicine in Sri Lanka. Design: 823 patients with chest opacities subjected to fibreoptic bronchoscopy. Setting: General Hospital, Colombo. Results: A definite diagnosis was made in 212 patients (25.7%). Bronchial carcinoma was diagnosed in 162 and pulmonary tuberculosis in 39 patients. Pulmonary metastases, vocal cord carcinoma, tracheal stenosis, carcinoid tumour, Pneumocystis carinii, malignant thymoma with bronchial secondaries, polyps in the trachea and post-operative collapse of lung were the other diagnoses. Conclusion: It is a safe procedure in a Sri Lankan setting to diagnose bronchial carcinoma, unsuspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and other tracheobronchial lesions. It has definite advantages over rigid bronchoscopy.