title: Experience with flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the usefulness of fibreoptic bronchoscopy as an investigation in respiratory medicine in Sri Lanka.
  
  
  METHODS
  823 patients with chest opacities subjected to fibreoptic bronchoscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  General Hospital, Colombo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A definite diagnosis was made in 212 patients (25.7%). Bronchial carcinoma was diagnosed in 162 and pulmonary tuberculosis in 39 patients. Pulmonary metastases, vocal cord carcinoma, tracheal stenosis, carcinoid tumour, Pneumocystis carinii, malignant thymoma with bronchial secondaries, polyps in the trachea and post-operative collapse of lung were the other diagnoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is a safe procedure in a Sri Lankan setting to diagnose bronchial carcinoma, unsuspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and other tracheo-bronchial lesions. It has definite advantages over rigid bronchoscopy.
authors.affiliation: General Hospital, Colombo.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jayasundera
mesh_terms: D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis