[Treatment of malignant central airways obstruction by rigid bronchoscopy]

Endobronchial resection is now the standard treatment for tracheobronchial narrowing due to malignancy. The clinical and functional respiratory improvement has been evaluated previously but only in heterogeneous population.

Between February 2009 and February 2011, we conducted a prospective single centre study at the University Hospital of Lille. Twenty-five patients with malignant tracheobronchial stenosis received a clinical and functional respiratory evaluation before and after a rigid bronchoscopy procedure to reduce the obstruction followed where appropriate by placement of an endobronchial stent.

Thirteen patients (52%) had primary lung cancer and in 12 the tumor had another origin. Nineteen patients (76%) received a stent after bronchial unblocking. Clinically, all patients felt an improvement in their dyspnea estimated by the Borg score with a median improvement of -2 points [-1; -4] following the procedure (P<0.001). In 96% the dyspnea visual analogic scale improved by 40 mm [27; 67] (P<0.0001). The FEV1 increased significantly after unblocking by 9% [-3.5; 28.5] (P<0.05). The Rint decreased significantly by -0.19 kPa/L per second [-0.06; -0.023] (P=0.001). Correlations between scales of dyspnea and spirometric values were not significant (P>0.05). The survival rate at 1 year was 29%.

Interventional bronchoscopy decreases dyspnea. It modestly improves respiratory function and decreases the Rint. However, lung function and dyspnea scales are not correlated. No spirometry factor can predict clinical dyspnea response but an elevated Borg dyspnea scale might be a good indicator.