Pediatric Flexible Bronchoscopy Under Conscious Sedation in an Endoscopy Suite – Is It Feasible, Safe and Yielding?: An Observational Study

Abstract

Introduction: The first description of bronchoscopy in pediatric practice was in 1978. Current study aimed to record the safety and diagnostic yield of performing fibre optic bronchoscopy (FB) in children under sedation and the rate of occurrence of serious adverse events. Material and Methods: Bronchoscopy case records of 16 patients who underwent FB were accessed. 14 of them as intensivist supervised in a suite and 2 in the PICU. Baseline clinical characteristics including duration of symptoms, presence of fever, hypoxia, leukocytosis were recorded. Procedural complications and serious adverse events were noted. Microbial yield was compared with clinical and lab parameters. Results: Most of the Pediatric bronchoscopy patients present with acute indications. Cough is a universal symptoms followed by fever (50%). Commonest radiological zone of involvement is right middle followed by right upper. Microbial yield from the broncho-alveoloar lavage was close to 60%. Serious adverse event happened in only one patient. Conclusion: Pediatric bronchoscopy is a safe, high yielding procedure, which can be performed under conscious sedation under an intensivist's supervision.