[Therapeutic bronchoscopy for stenotic lesions of central airway]

We retrospectively studied 26 patients with stenotic lesions of the central airway who had undergone bronchoscopic treatment. Thirteen of the patients had malignant tumors, and 13 had benign lesions (1 with post-tracheostomy difficulty in tube retrieval, 2 with bronchial obstruction due to granulation after bronchoplasty, 1 with bronchial stenosis due to granulation after pulmonary lobectomy, 7 with endobronchial foreign bodies, and 2 with hemoptysis). The patients ranged from 5 to 88 years of age with an average of 59.7 years. As a rule, bronchoscopic treatment was performed with endotracheal intubation up to 1993, and with laryngeal mask placement in 1994 and thereafter. Of the 26 eligible patients, 24 (92%) experienced good or excellent outcomes. Emergency bronchoscopy may be useful in treating a variety of emergency airway conditions. Use of a laryngeal mask may benefit emergency patients, including infants and children requiring a secure airway without complications.