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How to enter the pediatric airway for bronchoscopy
Author(s) -
Niggemann Bodo,
Haack Marion,
Machotta Andreas
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1046/j.1442-200x.2004.01854.x
Subject(s) - medicine , bronchoscopy , stridor , airway , flexible bronchoscopy , foreign body , tracheal tube , laryngeal mask airway , intensive care medicine , surgery , anesthesia
Background: Bronchoscopies are performed in childhood for diagnostic reasons (e.g. evaluation of stridor, unexplained cough, possible malformations) and therapeutic reasons (e.g. foreign body removal, management of the difficult airway).Methods: Various procedures of entering the pediatric airways are presented, based on an overview of the literature and the experience of the authors.Results: The advantages and disadvantages of direct fibreoptic bronchoscopy, bronchoscopy via face mask, via laryngeal mask airway, via tracheal tube, and for combined flexible and rigid bronchoscopy are discussed. In addition, practical aspects of bronchoscopy are considered, including local anesthesia, oxygen supplementation, monitoring, antibiotic treatment.Conclusions: Although inspection of the pediatric airways has become a well‐accepted routine procedure with a high diagnostic yield, and bronchoscopies are well tolerated, it is important that the most appropriate means of access to the airways is chosen according to the indications and the age of the child.