Flexible bronchoscopy for diagnosis and follow up of childhood endobronchial tuberculosis.
BACKGROUND
In this study, our aim was to determine the clinical and bronchoscopic outcome of the endobronchial tuberculosis (ETB).


METHODS
Patients with suspected tuberculosis (TB) or TB patients with an inadequate response to 8 weeks of antituberculosis treatment were enrolled in the study.


RESULTS
Seventy patients were included to the study and 118 flexible bronchoscopies were performed. ETB was present in 33 (47%) patients. There was isolated compression in 14 cases, caseous lesions in 13, granuloma formation in 6, polypoid lesions in 2, adenopathy protrusion in 1, and mucosal erosion in 1 case. The mean duration of bronchoscopic resolution of endobronchial lesions was 5.50 +/- 2.74 months. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from gastric lavage in 10% and from bronchoalveolar lavage in 12.8% of 70 cases. When both of the procedures were performed concurrently, the isolation rate increased to 20%. Transient hypoxia resolving with nasal O2 was observed in 3 patients as a complication of bronchoscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
Bronchoscopy offered a safe and rapid means of confirming the diagnosis of ETB.
Cakir
Erkan
E
Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey. erkancakir1@yahoo.com
Uyan
Zeynep Seda
ZS
Oktem
Sedat
S
Karakoc
Fazilet
F
Ersu
Refika
R
Karadag
Bulent
B
Dagli
Elif
E
D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000188:drug therapy; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013270:Stomach / Q000382:microbiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
D010100:Oxygen