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Diameter of paediatric sized flexible bronchoscopes: When size matters
Author(s) -
Linnane Barry,
Hafen Gaudenz M.,
Ranganathan Sarath C.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.20463
Subject(s) - calipers , medicine , limits of agreement , tube (container) , nuclear medicine , mean difference , biomedical engineering , surgery , mathematics , materials science , composite material , geometry , confidence interval
Background: A flexible bronchoscope typically gets its designated size from the diameter of the distal tip but this is not the maximum diameter of the insertion tube. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the size and site of the maximum diameter of flexible bronchoscope insertion tubes and to compare standard bronchofiberscopes with newer bronchovideoscopes. Methods: We assessed 10 bronchoscopes ranging from 2.2 to 4.9 mm external diameter (Olympus®, Tokyo, Japan) using an electronic digital caliper. Investigators were blinded to the type and model of each scope. The median, minimum and maximum diameters of the bronchoscopes were calculated and the measured diameters were compared with the stated diameters of the distal tip and insertion tube. Results: The maximum and median measured diameters were wider than the stated diameter of the distal tip in all the scopes. The maximum discrepancy between the measured and stated diameters ranged from 0.19 mm (6.7%) to 0.66 mm (22.2%) with a mean of 0.41 mm (14.0%). There was no difference between bronchofiberscopes and bronchovideoscopes. Conclusion: The maximum diameter of the distal tip and insertion tube of pediatric sized flexible bronchoscopes is significantly greater than the manufacturer's specifications. This may impact on the choice of bronchoscope selected for procedures in children. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2006; 41: 787–789. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.