[Contribution of bronchial fibroscopy in pneumonology services in developing countries]

Bronchial fibroscopy is a recent investigation method that requires equipment and facilities difficult to implement in respiratory diseases units in developing countries. In Burkina Faso, this technique was introduced for the first time in February 1997. The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of bronchial fibroscopy for the diagnosis of respiratory disease in countries with limited resources. This study was conducted between February 1997 and October 1998 at the respiratory diseases unit of the Yalgado Ouedraogo National Hospital Center in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Thirty-five cases of tuberculosis were diagnosed, including 29 cases with bronchial node involvement, where bronchial fibroscopy is an essential diagnostic examination, and 6 cases of bacteriologically proven pulmonary tuberculosis. Ten cases of lung cancer were diagnosed (40% squamous cell carcinoma). Malignant disease is a reality in developing countries despite low rates of diagnosis due to insufficient diagnostic facilities. For tuberculosis, the importance of specific treatment is certainly well established and should always be initiated, even if fibroscopy cannot be performed. This contrasts with the situation for malignant disease, where the high prevalence of lung cancer (9.9% of the bronchial fibroscopies performed) is associated with total lack of treatment due to the absence of a thoracic surgery unit or a radiotherapy unit, and the impossibility of providing satisfactory surveillance of anti-cancer chemotherapy.