Nd-YAG laser under local anaesthesia in obstructive endobronchial tumours.
Thirty-eight neodymium yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd-YAG) laser sessions have been performed in 26 patients under local anaesthesia. The majority of patients had recurrences of inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer after radiotherapy. At evaluation, a subjective improvement of dyspnoea was noticed in 70% (18/26) of the patients, and in 54% (14/26) of the cases, a greater than 50% improvement of the airway lumen diameter was assessed at bronchoscopy. Haemoptysis subsided in 4 out of the 5 patients. On 2 occasions, the rigid scope was introduced to provide optimal control of minor bleeding during the laser performance. Neither respiratory failure, nor any treatment-related death has occurred. In our hands, Nd-YAG treatment under local anaesthesia was a feasible, effective and safe procedure.
Sutedja
G
G
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Koppenol
W
W
Stam
J
J
D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000601:surgery*; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D001980:Bronchi / Q000601:surgery*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local