[Flexible bronchoscopy in a pediatric pulmonology service].
BACKGROUND
Flexible bronchoscopy is a valuable diagnostic and therapeutic tool. The objective of the study is to describe the experience with flexible bronchoscopy in a Pulmonology Section of a Pediatric tertiary care hospital associated to the university.


METHODS
Studies performed between 01/2002 and 12/2005 were reviewed. Olympus(R) bronchoscopes (external diameters 2.8 and 4.8 mm) were used. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed with 3 aliquots of 1 ml/kg of warmed sterile saline solution.


RESULTS
One hundred and two fiberoptic bronchoscopies (49 males, 42 outpatients) and 77 bronchoalveolar lavage were performed. Patient's age ranged from 2 months to 18 years. Fifty one studies were done in an endoscopy suite, 47 in the operating room and 4 in the intensive care unit. Patient's diagnosis were: chronic lung disease (recurrent/ persistent pneumonia, bronchiectasis, primary ciliary dyskinesia) 65% (n: 66); immune deficiencies 18% (n: 18); cystic fibrosis 7% (n: 7), difficult airway 5% (n: 6) and noisy breathing 5% (n: 5). Ten patients developed mild complications (7 hypoxemia, 2 upper airway obstruction, 1 cardiac arrhythmia), and 1 patient a severe one (severe bronchial obstruction). Eighty five (65/77) bronchoalveolar lavage samples, 100% (12/12) bronchial brushing and 100% (6/6) endobronchial biopsies were representative. Procedures helped the decision-making process in 75% (76/102) of the patients studied.


CONCLUSIONS
In this carefully selected population, flexible bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage were useful for their diagnosis and treatment.
Maffey
Alberto F
AF
Centro Respiratorio, Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina. amaffey@gmail.com
Berlinski
Ariel
A
Schkair
Juan C
JC
Teper
Alejandro M
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies