Review of a 10-year experience of rigid bronchoscopy at a tertiary centre in Singapore
- Author:
Akash VERMA
1
;
Dessmon Y. H. TAI
;
Soon Keng GOH
;
Rajiv GOYAL
;
Ai Ching KOR
;
Alan W. K. NG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From: Precision and Future Medicine 2020;4(3):99-106
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:0
-
Abstract:
Purpose:No report of rigid bronchoscopy (RB) has been described from Singapore.
Methods:We did a retrospective review of medical records of patients undergoing RB between November 2009 and November 2019 at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Results:135 patients underwent 203 RB. RB was done for malignant central airway obstruction (MCAO) in 91 and benign diseases in 44 patients. The techniques used were Nd: YAG laser (n= 56), stenting (n= 63), transbronchial needle aspiration (n= 5), clot removal (n= 9), ballooning (n= 15), argon plasma coagulation (n= 5), and electrocautery (n= 37). Procedural complications occurred in three (2.2%). Median survival was 10.1 months (interquartile range [IQR], 2.2 to 45.3) in the whole group, 7.8 (IQR, 2 to 18.3) in MCAO and 42.6 (IQR, 8.9 to 77.5) in benign diseases respectively. Twenty-two (16.3%) patients requiring intensive care unit survived for 7.1 months (IQR, 1.6 to 9.8) after RB. Twenty-eight (21%) patients required repeat RB 68 times. Of these 34 (50%) were for granulation tissue removal.
Conclusion:RB was safe and improved survival however, the demand was low. The most common indications were re-canalization of MCAO and granulation tissue removal. The later was the most resource consuming indication for repeat RB. Future research should focus on minimization of granulation tissue formation.
