title: Indications for flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy in pediatric patients.
abstract: Although the availability of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) has been a major advance in adult pulmonary medicine, the role of FFB in pediatrics has remained less well defined. Therefore, a two-year retrospective study was undertaken to determine the indications for FFB in 95 pediatric patients (mean age, 6.9 years) who underwent 129 FFB procedures. Indications for FFB included stridor (41/129), abnormal chest roentgenogram (38/129), airway evaluation in patients with tracheostomy (13/129), airway obstruction (11/129), hoarseness (9/129), recurrent pneumonia (7/129), chronic cough (4/129), failed extubation (3/129), tracheal injury (2/129), and hemoptysis (1/129). Overall, a specific diagnosis was made in 88% of cases, of which 48% involved a lower airway disorder. A minor complication rate of 2% was observed with no major complications.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D020680:Bronchoscopes; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies