[Our experience with bronchofibroscopy]

Five hundred and eighty three broncho-fibroscopies were performed by the authors. Tumoural pathology represents 60% of diagnostic indications. Histological samples have a satisfying yield : 72.4% for the whole tumoural pathology, 80% for primitive bronchial tumours. The comparison with the results of sampling done by bronchoscopy is in favour of broncho-fibroscopy, especially for distal localizations (62% of positive results against 47%). In respiratory intensive care, a place of its own should be given to bronchoaspiration, where this technique of tracheo-bronchial clearing seems well adapted.