Repeat fiberoptic bronchoscopy in patients with recurrent, unexplained hemoptysis

Repeat fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FB) is indicated in patients with recurrent, unexplained hemoptysis to localize and/or diagnose the source of bleeding. The results of 34 bronchoscopies in 14 patients over a 6-year period were examined. 10 patients had 2 FBs each and 1 patient had 5 procedures at varying intervals. Only early FB detected active bleeding (12/25) early FBs) and localized a bleeding site (10/25). Definitive diagnoses (6/34 FBs) occurred only in patients with lung malignancy and were not necessarily influenced by the timing or frequency of FB. Clinical diagnoses and management were infrequently altered by each FB, except for management of malignancy. Thus, early, repeat FB in this diagnostically difficult group of patients contributes limited immediate information and minimally changes therapy in patients with nonneoplastic conditions. Despite these limitations, direct bronchial visualization by FB remains the most reliable standard available for localizing and, to a lesser extent, diagnosing the etiology of recurrent hemoptysis.