[Efficacy and safety of argon plasma coagulation in the treatment of obstructive tracheobronchial stenosis].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of argon plasma coagulation (APC) in the treatment of large airway obstruction.


METHODS
Totally 389 patients with treacheobronchial stenosis were treated with APC (ARCO3000 type) by bronchoscopy. The stenoses were caused by carcinomas (203 cases, 52.2%), metastatic tumors (67 cases, 17.2%), benign tumors (18 cases, 4.6%), granulomas (93 cases, 23.9%) and other lesions (8 cases, 2.1%). The rate of recanalization, relief of the symptoms, and complications were analyzed.


RESULTS
1121 times of APC treatment were performed in the 389 patients. Complete recanalization was achieved in 138 cases (35.5%), partial in 143 (36.8%), mild in 55 (14.1%) and none in 53 (13.6%). The major complications included: super-ventricular tachycardia in 136 cases (34.9%), bleeding in 51 (13.1%), decrease in blood oxygen saturation in 48 (12.3%), asphyxia in 33 (8.5%), ventricular or super-ventricular arrhythmia in 24 (6.2%), short-term aggravation of airway obstruction in 18 (4.6%), and tracheal perforation in 3 (0.78%). All those complications were treated with various measures and no patient died of the complications during the procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Argon plasma coagulation is effective and relatively safe in relieving the obstruction and dyspnea in patients with large airway obstruction caused by various reasons. However, for the patients with severe airway obstruction, argon plasma coagulation sometimes may cause severe or even lethal complications. Critical consideration of the indication, operators' skill and taking more precautions during the procedure are required to ensure the safety of argon plasma coagulation treatment.
Jin
Fa-guang
FG
Department of Respiratory Diseases, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
Mu
De-guang
DG
Chu
Dong-ling
DL
Fu
En-qing
EQ
Xie
Yong-hong
YH
Liu
Tong-gang
TG
Gu
Xing
X
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001128:Argon / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult
D001128:Argon