Endobronchial electrocautery.
Endobronchial electrocautery was successfully used to treat three patients with major airway obstruction resulting from bronchogenic carcinoma and to establish a diagnosis in a fourth. Electrocautery was applied through fiberoptic bronchoscopes. In two cases, a wire snare was used to remove polypoid lesions and in two others, probes were used to ablate tumor tissue. As a result of high inspired oxygen concentration in one patient, a tracheal fire occurred without injury to the patient. Electrocautery is an available economical tool which has potential value in the diagnosis and therapy of endobronchial obstructing airway lesions.
D000368:Aged; D020680:Bronchoscopes; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000601:surgery*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*