Fiberoptic bronchoscopy in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units: a 5-year experience

To determine the value and safety of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units (NICUs, PICUs).

A total of 53 fiberoptic bronchoscopy procedures on 47 patients were reviewed. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in 23 patients.

The primary diseases were pneumonia (n = 16), foreign body aspiration (n = 14), congenital airway abnormality (n = 12), trauma and/or following operations (n = 4) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (n = 1). The major bronchoscopic findings included inflammation in 26 patients, foreign body in 14, congenital airway abnormality in 12 and blood clotting in 3. Microbiology on BAL fluid was positive in 19 of 23 patients. In 23 patients with atelectasis, full and partial re-expansion was obtained in 14 and 6 patients, respectively, at 24 h after the procedures. The clinical features of 9 patients with sputum retention or blood clotting improved significantly after BAL. Positive or negative microbiologic BAL fluid results changed treatment in 11 patients, leading to marked clinical improvement in 9 patients. Moreover, 13 patients were extubated within 24 h of bronchoscopy.

These data show that fiberoptic bronchoscopy is safe and effective in the diagnosis and therapy of pulmonary disorders in NICUs and PICUs.