Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation
Published on: January 17, 2011
Amnestic agents in pediatric bronchoscopy
1Critical Care Medicine Department, Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1662, USA.
Pediatric fiberoptic bronchoscopy is safe, but anesthetic choice impacts complications in young children and those with HIV. Careful selection of sedation and analgesia is crucial for this patient population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Anesthesiology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is a common diagnostic tool in pediatrics.
- Sedation and analgesia are frequently used to facilitate pediatric procedures.
- Assessing complication risks associated with these techniques is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the risk of complications associated with sedation and analgesia during pediatric fiberoptic bronchoscopy.
- To identify factors influencing complication rates in this procedure.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series of 103 fiberoptic bronchoscopies in 64 pediatric patients (1-18 years).
- Data collected via chart review, including anesthetic agents, dosages, procedure duration, and complications.
- Complications included oxygen desaturations, vital sign alterations, and emergence reactions.
Main Results:
- Complications occurred in 13 procedures (12.6%).
- Oxygen desaturations, stridor, cough, apnea, and nasal bleeding were noted.
- Complications were more frequent in children under 3 years old and those with HIV infection.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric fiberoptic bronchoscopy is generally safe and effective.
- Anesthetic selection significantly impacts complication rates in specific pediatric subsets.
- Particular caution is advised for children under 3 years and those with HIV.
Related Concept Videos
Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview
Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics
Antitussives include codeine, dextromethorphan (Robitussin), and benzonatate (Tessalon). Codeine and dextromethorphan exert their effects centrally by suppressing the cough reflex center in the medulla. Benzonatate operates peripherally within the respiratory tract by anesthetizing...
Antiasthma Drugs: Muscarinic Receptor Antagonists
Antimuscarinic agents compete with ACh for the same binding site on the muscarinic receptors. By binding to these receptors, they inhibit the downstream effects of ACh and block the parasympathetic...
Endoscopic Studies I: Bronchoscopy and Thoracoscopy
Bronchoscopy
Description
Bronchoscopy is a procedure that involves direct visualization of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. A flexible fiber optic or rigid bronchoscope is used to carry out the procedure. The fiber-optic bronchoscope is more frequently used due to...

