[Fibroscopy and pulmonary burns. Preliminary study, apropos of 44 cases]

A fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed in 44 out of 1160 burnt patients. The indications for this investigation were dictated by the kind of accident suffered by the patient: explosion or fire; in 16 patients, the face was spared. The clinical, radiological and biological signs could be absent on arrival, and occur later. Four different aspects were seen: very characteristic, although not entirely specific, was the pale white mucosa following blast injury. The degree of obstruction by soot varied, and could be fatal. The aspect of mucosal burn was due to the inhaling of hot gases or burning particles leading to the formation of blisters or crusts on the mucosa. Finally, a non-specific mucosal congestion was seen alone or with either of the preceding forms. The therapeutic interest of this technique was limited to the inhalation of soot and ash, broncho-aspiration not always being easy. The prognostic value was very restricted as it was not possible to investigate the distal ramifications of the bronchial tree. Further studies are necessary to define some more mucosal aspects, as well as the clinical and paraclinical correlations.