[Initial experience with the treatment of endobronchial lesions using the Nd:YAG laser]

Endobronchial treatment by means of a laser acquired during the past ten years a firm place in bronchology. In the submitted paper the authors present their initial experience with this treatment in patients of the Pneumological Clinic in Prague-Veleslavín. In the course of 12 months since when there is a Nd:YAG laser, Sharplan Co. at the clinic, 52 patients were treated by this method. Forty of them suffered from lung cancer. Three had other types of tumours. Eight patients suffered from benign cicatricial stenoses and one female patient aspirated a foreign body. A total of 124 bronchoscopies, using a laser, were performed, on average 2.4 per patient. In 75% of patients with lung cancer recanalization was achieved, the trachea was dilated in all patients with cicatricial stenoses, however, only in one quarter of them complete restitution of the lumen was achieved. Hitherto assembled experience confirms the value of laser treatment for improving the life and its prolongation in patients with lung cancer and its importance for treatment of other endotracheobronchial processes. Three serious haemorrhages during operation were recorded, one female patient died. The use of the laser is simple, its operation smooth.