title: Laser therapy for endobronchial tumours.
abstract: Endobronchial laser therapy has been performed at Knightswood Hospital, Glasgow since 1983. During the period 1983 to 1990, 62 patients underwent a total of 149 laser treatments. The principal indications for therapy were tracheo-carinal stridor (24%), dyspnoea due to bronchial occlusion (60%) and haemoptysis (13%). Squamous carcinoma accounted for 80% of the lesions. Over 75% of patients had already received some form of prior therapy (radiotherapy 71%, chemotherapy 8%, surgical resection 11%). Laser therapy reduced stridor in 67% of patients with tracheal and carinal tumours and produced symptomatic improvement in 72% of patients with bronchial obstruction but without evidence of lobar collapse. Haemoptysis was controlled in all but one of patients treated. Two patients (3.2%) died during laser treatment following severe haemorrhage.
authors: Knightswood Hospital, Glasgow.
authors: S C
authors: SC
authors: Chakraverty
authors: P R
authors: PR
authors: Rafferty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies