Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 27, 2025
Author Spotlight: Learning Systematic Bronchoscopy in a Simulation-Base Setting
Published on: June 23, 2023
Implications of Rigid Bronchoscopy: An Eight-Year Review in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
1Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Early rigid bronchoscopy in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients can predict early discharge. Patients requiring multiple procedures or not benefiting from the first bronchoscopy often had complex cases leading to longer PICU stays.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Pulmonology
- Endoscopic procedures
Background:
- Rigid bronchoscopy is a key diagnostic and therapeutic tool in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).
- Predicting discharge duration is crucial for effective PICU patient management.
- Understanding factors influencing PICU length of stay is essential for resource optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of various bronchoscopic procedures on PICU length of stay.
- To identify predictors for early discharge in pediatric patients undergoing bronchoscopy.
- To develop a predictive model for PICU discharge.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 451 PICU admissions (2012-2019).
- Focused analysis on 36 pediatric patients (<12 years) undergoing interventional rigid bronchoscopy.
- Categorization of patients based on the number of bronchoscopic interventions.
Main Results:
- First bronchoscopy was a significant predictor of PICU discharge (p=0.002).
- Tracheostomy and gender were also identified as significant predictors (p=0.072 and p=0.060, respectively).
- Early bronchoscopic interventions correlated with shorter PICU stays.
Conclusions:
- Early bronchoscopic interventions facilitate earlier discharge from the PICU.
- Patients not benefiting from initial bronchoscopy often present with complex conditions contributing to prolonged PICU stays.
- This study provides insights into managing PICU patients undergoing rigid bronchoscopy.
Introduction:
Rigid bronchoscopy is an endoscopic technique used to visualize the airway, and rigid bronchoscopy is performed for both diagnostic and therapeutic indications. We defined the clinical characteristics of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients undergoing bronchoscopy to establish a predictive model for early discharge from the PICU. Prediction can provide tangible aid in managing PICU patients.
Objectives:
The primary objectives of this research are to evaluate the impact of different bronchoscopic procedures on the duration of PICU stay and to determine the Predictors of PICU discharge.
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed records of 451 PICU admissions from 2012 to 2019 at our institution. In total, 36 pediatric patients under 12 years of age undergoing interventional rigid bronchoscopy during their PICU stay were studied. This study examined the impact of bronchoscopic procedures on the duration of PICU stays. Patients were categorized into three groups according to the number of bronchoscopic interventions used to evaluate the implications of different bronchoscopic procedures on the duration of PICU stay.
Results:
Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test the predictors of PICU discharge. Tracheostomy and gender were significant predictors (p = 0.072 and 0.060, respectively), but first bronchoscopy showed strong significance (p = 0.002).
Conclusion S:
Our findings have shown that early bronchoscopic interventions assisted in early critical care unit discharge, and most patients who did not benefit from the first bronchoscopy were complicated cases that could explain the long stay in the PICU.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Endoscopic Studies I: Bronchoscopy and Thoracoscopy
Bronchoscopy
Description
Bronchoscopy is a procedure that involves direct visualization of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. A flexible fiber optic or rigid bronchoscope is used to carry out the procedure. The fiber-optic bronchoscope is more frequently used due...
01:30Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation V: Advanced Airway Management Techniques
01:26Endoscopic Studies II: Thoracocentesis
Description
Excess pleural fluid or air may accumulate in some respiratory disorders in the thoracic cavity. To treat pleural effusion, a physician conducts thoracentesis by carefully piercing the chest wall and entering...
01:17Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation
01:15Endotracheal Intubation I: Procedure
The ET tube comprises various components, including a standard adaptor to attach a bag-valve-mask (BVM) or ventilator, a cuff, a pilot balloon, and radiopaque markings along its length to measure the insertion distance. The tube sizes...
01:19Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...