Diagnostic yield of flexible bronchoscopy in current clinical practice.
BACKGROUND
Flexible bronchoscopy is a procedure commonly performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic yield and the safety of routine bronchoscopy techniques including transbronchial needle aspiration and transbronchial biopsy at a university hospital in Switzerland.


METHODS
616 consecutive bronchoscopies performed at the Pulmonary Medicine Department (University Hospital Basel) over a period of 6 months were analysed retrospectively using bronchoscopy reports and hospital charts. Diagnostic procedures included bronchial washings, bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial brushings, transbronchial needle aspiration and transbronchial biopsies.


RESULTS
430 bronchoscopies had a diagnostic, 186 a therapeutic indication. The overall diagnostic yield was 57% (245/430). Bronchoscopy performed for suspected tumours confirmed malignancy in 43% of cases. Bronchoscopy in suspected infection and tuberculosis identified pathogenic organisms in 46% and 27% of cases, respectively. The diagnostic yield for central and peripheral TBNA was 37.8 and 43.6%, respectively. Complications were very rare (n = 10, 1.6%) and were only minor.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that routine bronchoscopy techniques including transbronchial needle aspiration and transbronchial biopsy are safe and have a high diagnostic yield.
Joos
Ladina
L
Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland. ljoos@uhbs.ch
Patuto
Nicola
N
Chhajed
Prashant N
PN
Tamm
Michael
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000592:standards*; D015510:Clinical Medicine; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013557:Switzerland