Fibrocapnography in the control of the respiratory airways passage

With the authors' method of a fibrobronchoscopic investigation using a translucent catheter in the fibrinoscope Olympus with an operational channel of 1.9 mm there were determined in 8 patients in the sitting position possibilities of estimating the degree of free passage in the respiratory tract. Patients with relapsing bronchial inflammations were examined before and after the aspiration of bronchial secretions that was restricting the passage in the respiratory tract prior to the investigation. The measurement was done with apparatus URAS of the firm Jäger using recorder Hellige . Investigation after the aspiration of the bronchial secretions was supplemented by the inhalation of a highly concentrated O2 in two inspirations. In a well ventilated region there took place even regionally changes in the amplitude of the shape and slope of the end of the expiration curve of the capnographic record. The investigation is non-invasive and technically not very demanding. According to the results obtained in our conditions of investigation a further verification of the validity of the results attained can be recommended; also a modification of the capnographic devices in anaesthesiological apparatus is recommended for possible measurements to be done regionally at the level of the primary bronchi.