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Pediatric flexible and rigid bronchoscopy in European centers—Availability and current practice
Author(s) -
Schramm Dirk,
Yu Yin,
Wiemers Anna,
Vossen Christina,
Snijders Deborah,
Krivec Uros,
Priftis Kostas,
Eber Ernst,
Pohunek Petr
Publication year - 2017
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.23823
Subject(s) - medicine , bronchoscopy , airway , airway obstruction , foreign body aspiration , intensive care medicine , general surgery , surgery
Aim Eighteen years have passed since the last European survey concerning practices in pediatric bronchoscopy was conducted. Therefore, members of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Pediatric Bronchology Group 7.7, initiated the “European Pediatric Bronchoscopy Survey 2015,” which aimed to assess the current state of this evolving diagnostic and therapeutic procedure in the field of pediatric respiratory medicine. Method A questionnaire was sent to national representatives of 44 European countries with the request to distribute it to all centers performing pediatric bronchoscopies. Questions concerned the following areas of interest: number of procedures, personnel and technical equipment, indications, complications, anesthesia, and diagnostic possibilities. Results In total, 198 European centers from 33 European countries participated in the survey. From 2012 to 2014 a total of 57 145 bronchoscopies were reported. Both flexible and rigid techniques were available at most of the centers. The most frequently mentioned indications were suspected aspiration, infection, radiographic abnormalities, airway obstruction, and cough. Hypoxemia, airway obstruction, and cough were the most common complications mentioned, followed by airway hemorrhage. Most centers were able to perform bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and endobronchial biopsies and some performed more special procedures, such as transbronchial biopsies. Interventions like balloon dilation, laser procedures, or stent placement were less common and rarely available. Conclusion Compared to the 1997 survey, our results suggest that pediatric bronchoscopy has become more widely available and established in Europe. Different practices in individual countries suggest that more effort should be put on standardizing bronchoscopic procedures across Europe.