Office-based lower airway endoscopy in pediatric patients.
BACKGROUND
Office-based evaluation of the lower airway in adults with only topical anesthetics has been well documented. This study was performed to assess the feasibility of performing office-based lower airway endoscopy in a pediatric population.


METHODS
One hundred five consecutive pediatric patients requiring flexible laryngoscopy were studied. All received only a topical anesthetic-decongestant applied nasally. After flexible laryngoscopy, the endoscope was passed below the vocal folds to visualize the subglottis, trachea, and carina. All evaluations were videotaped for later review.


METHODS
Academic pediatric otolaryngology practice.


METHODS
All 105 patients were studied for complications and agreement between office endoscopy and operative endoscopy when necessary (performed in 20 patients). A subset of 24 consecutive patients were studied for ease of performing the lower airway evaluation, rated on a 3-point scale: 1, unable to perform; 2, performed with some difficulty; and 3, performed without difficulty. The ability to view the subglottis, trachea, and carina were also rated on a 3-point scale.


RESULTS
There were no complications for any of the procedures. Office endoscopy correlated with operative endoscopy in all cases. In the subset of 24 patients, the mean score for ease of endoscopy was 2.83. The mean scores for visualizing the lower airway were 2.91 for the subglottis, 2.80 for the trachea, and 2.24 for the carina.


CONCLUSIONS
With the use of only topical anesthesia, flexible endoscopy of the lower airway in children can be performed in the office setting and can be used effectively to evaluate abnormalities of the lower airway.
Lindstrom
D Richard
DR
Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.
Book
David T
DT
Conley
Stephen F
SF
Flanary
Valerie A
VA
Kerschner
Joseph E
JE
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D009819:Office Visits; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014743:Videotape Recording