title: [Treatment via laser of airway obstructions].
abstract: The Nd-YAG laser is widely used in endoscopy. Laser therapy either by contact or non-contact method, can be considered the best palliative option for patients affected by airway obstruction due to endoluminal malignant tumours. It aims at the improvement of breathing conditions and symptomatology. In patients affected by benign obstructions, it often allows to obtain curative results avoiding the use of traditional surgery. From 1988 to 1993 at the First Department of Surgery of the University of Rome "La Sapienza", 163 treatments out of 111 clinical cases affected by airway obstruction, caused by malignant tumours considered inoperable or relapsed after operation, or by vegetating benign tumours, or granulomas or fibrous diaphragms were performed. The symptomatological improvement and beneficial changes in functional breathing tests, haemogasanalysis, and X-ray findings were registered 24-48 hours after each treatment. The results showed an improvement in functional breathing values especially after treatment of the main airways such as trachea and main bronchi. The therapy offered an acceptable quality of life. A fairly good number of patients may also return to radio and chemotherapy, if previously interrupted.
authors.affiliation: I Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica, Università degli Studi La Sapienza, Roma.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cicconetti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Rovere
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capaldi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melillo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ceglia
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roscetti
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D020680:Bronchoscopes; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications
vernacular_title: Il trattamento mediante laser delle ostruzioni delle vie aeree.