Explore the vast range of titles available.

Background: Central airway obstruction (CAO) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with thoracic malignancies. In this prospective study, we describe the role of rigid bronchoscopy (RB) in the multimodality management of CAO. Methods: Prospective description of different rigid bronchoscopic techniques used for CAO between July 2016 and July 2019. Results: A total of 152 procedures (124 therapeutic/palliative and 28 diagnostics) in 111 adults and 10 pediatric patients were performed. The mean age in 111 adults (66 males) and 10 pediatric (5 males) patients were 45.4 ± 15.8 (range 16-80) and 5.4 ± 3.6 (range 1-10) years, respectively. Palliation of the airway obstruction (48.8%) and establishment of diagnosis (23.2%) were the main indications of RB in our study. Mechanical debulking in 53 (57%) and airway dilatation in 40 (43%) patients were the most utilized interventions during the palliative or therapeutic RB. There was a significant decrease in mean (modified Medical Research Council) dyspnea scale from 3.9 ± 1.0 to 1.42 ± 0.63 and increase in mean Visual Analogue Scale from 2.06 ± 0.74 to 8.7 ± 0.54 after the procedure (P < 0.0001). Additional therapy was undertaken in 38 (31.4%) of 121 patients, and surgical excision was the primary form of definitive treatment in 17 patients Moderate bleeding was encountered in 13.3% of the procedures mainly in the diagnostic RB. The mean procedure duration was 28.4 (range, 11-49) min and 13.2 (7-22) min in the adults and pediatric patients, respectively. A total of 31 patients succumbed to the illness due to the progressive nature of their disease. Conclusions: An individualized approach to interventional procedures is safe and effective way to achieve and maintain palliation of CAO. RB with multimodality treatment achieves the goal in majority of the patients.

Rigid bronchoscopy is the procedure of choice for removal of inhaled foreign bodies. In this retrospective study, we assessed the safety and efficacy of flexible bronchoscopy use in the removal of inhaled foreign bodies in children. One hundred eighty-two patients (median age of 24 months, 58% males) underwent an interventional bronchoscopy for the removal of inhaled foreign body between 2009 and 2019, 40 (22%) by flexible, and 142 (78%) by rigid bronchoscopy. 88.73% of rigid and 95% of flexible bronchoscopies were successful in foreign bodies removal (p value = 0.24). Complication rate was higher among rigid bronchoscopy (9.2% vs. 0%, p = 0.047). From 2017 onwards, following the implementation of flexible bronchoscopy for foreign bodies removal, 64 procedures were performed, 33 (51.6%) flexible, and 31 (48.4%) rigid. Procedure length was shorter via flexible bronchoscopy (42 vs 58 min, p = 0.016). Length of hospital stay was similar.Conclusion: In our hands, flexible bronchoscopy is an efficient and safe method for removal of inhaled foreign bodies in children, with shorter procedure time and minimal complication rate. Flexible bronchoscopy could be considered as the procedure of choice for removal of inhaled foreign bodies in children, by an experienced multidisciplinary team.What is Known:• Rigid bronchoscopy is currently the gold standard for removal of inhaled foreign bodies in children.• Rigid bronchoscopy has a relatively high complication rate compared to flexible bronchoscopy.What is New:• Flexible bronchoscopy is a short, safe, and efficient procedure to remove inhaled foreign bodies in children, compared to rigid bronchoscopy.• Flexible bronchoscopy could be proposed as the procedure of choice for removal of inhaled foreign bodies in children, if an experienced operator is available.

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) can be encountered in all age groups, especially in children under 3 years of age. In this study, we aimed to evaluate our results in children and adults who underwent rigid bronchoscopy due to a history of foreign body aspiration. In a single-center study, 822 consecutive patients with suspected foreign body aspiration and undergoing rigid bronchoscopy between January 2000 and August 2021 in our clinic were retrospectively evaluated. There were 451 (54.9%) male and 371 (45.1%) female patients. The mean age was 8.1 ± 14.0 (range 1 month–84 years). 525 (63.9%) of the cases consisted of cases under 3 years old, including 3 years old. There were 726 (88.3%) pediatric patients (≤18 years old), and 96 (11.7%) adult patients. The most important symptoms were cough in 690 (83.9%) cases and wheezing in 492 (59.9%) cases. The most frequently aspirated foreign bodies in children were sunflower seeds (14.2%, n = 71), food particles (11.4%, n = 57) and needles (52%, n = 10.4). The most frequently aspirated foreign bodies in adults were needles (39.5%, n = 28), non-needle metallic objects (21.1%, n = 15) and food particles (11.3%, n = 8). No mortality was observed in any of the patients who underwent rigid bronchoscopy. FBA is higher in children and direct radiological findings are less than in adults. Current findings show that FBAs in children are more difficult to diagnose and more dangerous clinically. •FBA is a health problem seen in all age groups, especially in children.•Foreign body aspirations are life-threatening emergencies.•False negativity of chest x-ray is more prominent in pediatric patients.•Be alert to the possibility of being overlooked.•A bronchoscopic examination should be kept in mind in all suspicious cases.

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a common cause of pediatric morbidity, but a standardized protocol to guide decision-making about bronchoscopy is lacking. We aimed to validate a new Foreign body aspiration score (FOBAS) for the pediatric emergency department (ED). Patients aged 0–18 years referred to the ED for suspected FBA were prospectively enrolled. FOBAS was calculated according to clinical features of a choking episode, sudden cough, exposure to nuts, absence of fever and rhinitis, stridor, and unilateral auscultatory and radiological findings. FBA risk was evaluated based on the total score (low, 1–3; moderate, 4–6; high, 7–10). Low-risk children were discharged from the ED and followed clinically. Moderate-risk children were hospitalized and evaluated by a pediatric pulmonologist, and high-risk children were referred directly for therapeutic bronchoscopy. Among the 100 enrolled children (59% males; median age 20 [interquartile range 11–39] months), a foreign body was diagnosed in 1/49 (2%), 14/41 (34.1%), and 9/10 (90%) with low, moderate, and high FOBAS, respectively ( P  < .001). Logistic regression indicated a higher risk for FBA with higher scores. The odds ratio for each additional point was 2.75 (95% confidence interval 1.78–4.24), and FOBAS showed a high predictive value for FBA (area under the curve 0.89). FOBAS implementation significantly reduced the rate of negative bronchoscopies, from 67.4% annually during 2016–2019 to 50% in 2020 ( P  = .042). Conclusion : FOBAS reliably predicts FBA in cases of suspected FBA and improves management and in-hospital decision-making. What is Known: • Foreign body aspiration is a major cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality. • Currently, there is no unified protocol for children referred to the emergency department for suspected FBA, therefore, a well-defined algorithm is needed to improve the decision-making process. What is New: • The pediatric Foreign body aspiration score (FOBAS) is a new, prospectively validated clinical score that shows high sensitivity and specificity for the presence of FBA in children. • FOBAS reduces unnecessary admissions and invasive procedures and leads to better clinical outcomes.

The early diagnosis and treatment of foreign body aspiration (FBA) can significantly improve the overall prognosis of children. There are significant differences in the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of FBA in different regions. Therefore, we conducted a real-world study in the western region of China with over 4000 patients. The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of FBA in terms of its types, the specific months of its occurrence, and the distribution of primary caregiver characteristics in western China. We collected the clinical and epidemiological data of children who were diagnosed with FBA in our hospital over the past 20 years through a big data centre. We matched the data of healthy children who underwent routine physical examinations at the paediatric health clinic during the same period to analyse the differences in the data of actual guardians. A total of 4227 patients from five provinces were included in this study. Foreign bodies were removed by rigid bronchoscopy in 99.4% (4202/4227) of patients, with a median age of 19 months and a median surgical duration 16 min. January was the most common month of onset for 1725 patients, followed by February, with 1027 patients. The most common types of foreign objects were melon peanuts, seeds and walnuts, accounting for 47.2%, 15.3%, and 10.2%, respectively. In the FBA group, the proportion of grandparents who were primary caregivers was 70.33% (2973/4227), which was significantly greater than the 63.05% in the healthy group (2665/4227) (P < 0.01). FBA most commonly occurs in January and February. More than 60% of FBAs occur between the ages of 1 and 2 years, and the incidence of FBA may be greater in children who are cared for by grandparents. A rigid bronchoscope can be used to remove most aspirated foreign bodies in a median of 16 min.

Background: Therapeutic bronchoscopy (TB) is an accepted strategy for the symptomatic management of central airway malignant obstruction. Stent insertion is recommended in case of extrinsic compression, but its value in preventing airway re-obstruction after endobronchial treatment without extrinsic compression is unknown. Objective: Silicone stent Placement in symptomatic airway Obstruction due to non-small cell lung Cancer (SPOC) is the first randomized controlled trial investigating the potential benefit of silicone stent insertion after successful TB in symptomatic malignant airway obstruction without extrinsic compression. Method: We planned an inclusion of 170 patients in each group (stent or no stent) over a period of 3 years with 1-year follow-up. The 1-year survival rate without symptomatic local recurrence was the main endpoint. Recurrence rate, survival, quality of life, and stent tolerance were secondary endpoints. During 1-year follow-up, clinical events were monitored by flexible bronchoscopies and were evaluated by an independent expert committee. Results: Seventy-eight patients (mean age 65 years) were randomized into 2 arms: stents (n = 40) or no stents (n = 38) after IB. Consequently, our main endpoint could not be statistically answered. Improvement of dyspnea symptoms is noticeable in each group but lasts longer in the stent group. Stents do not change the survival curve but reduce unattended bronchoscopies. In the no stent group, 19 new TB were performed with 16 stents inserted contrasting with 10 rigid bronchoscopies and 3 stents placed in the stent group. In a subgroup analysis according to the oncologic management protocol following TB (first-line treatment and other lines or palliation), the beneficial effect of stenting on obstruction recurrence was highly significant (p < 0.002), but was not observed in the naïve group, free from first-line chemotherapy. Conclusion: Silicone stent placement maintains the benefit of TB after 1 year on dyspnea score, obstruction’s recurrence, and the need for new TB. Stenting does not affect the quality of life and is suggested for patients after failure of first-line chemotherapy. It is not suggested in patients without previous oncologic treatment.

Abstract Due to growing interest in management of central airway obstruction, rigid bronchoscopy is undergoing a resurgence in popularity among pulmonologists. Performing rigid bronchoscopy requires use of deep sedation or general anesthesia to achieve adequate patient comfort, whereas maintaining oxygenation and ventilation via an uncuffed and often open rigid bronchoscope requires use of ventilation strategies that may be unfamiliar to most pulmonologists. Available approaches include apneic oxygenation, spontaneous assisted ventilation, controlled ventilation, manual jet, and high-frequency jet ventilation. Anesthetic technique is partially dictated by the selected ventilation strategy but most often relies on a total intravenous anesthetic approach using ultra–short-acting sedatives and hypnotics for a rapid offset of action in this patient population with underlying respiratory compromise. Gas anesthetic may be used with the rigid bronchoscope, minimizing leaks with fenestrated caps placed over the ports, although persistent circuit leaks can make this approach challenging. Jet ventilation, the most commonly used ventilatory approach, may be delivered manually using a Sanders valve or via an automated ventilator at supraphysiologic respiratory rates, allowing for an open rigid bronchoscope to facilitate ease of moving tools in and out of the airway. Despite a patient population that often suffers from significant respiratory compromise, major complications with rigid bronchoscopy are uncommon and are similar among modern ventilation approaches. Choice of ventilation technique should be determined by local expertise and equipment availability. Appropriate patient selection and recognition of limitations associated with a given ventilation strategy are critical to avoid procedural-related complications.

Chest X-ray (CXR) is an important tool in the assessment of children with suspected foreign body aspiration (FBA), although it can falsely be interpreted as normal in one-third of the cases. The aim of this study is to evaluate the positive predictive value of CXR in children hospitalized with suspected FBA, when interpreted by three disciplines: pediatric pulmonology, pediatric radiology, and pediatric residents. This is a retrospective study that included children aged 0–18 years, admitted with suspected FBA, between 2009 and 2020 in one tertiary center. All patients underwent CXR and a flexible/rigid bronchoscopy for the definitive diagnosis of FBA, up to 1 week apart. Two physicians from each discipline interpreted the CXR, independently. Intra-raters’ and inter-raters’ agreements were assessed. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated for each discipline. Four hundred seventy-three children were included in the study, 175 (37%) with FBA and 298 (63%) without FBA on flexible/rigid bronchoscopy. The most common radiological findings, as interpreted by a pediatric pulmonologist, were unilateral hyperinflation (47%), radiopaque FB (37.6%), lobar atelectasis (10.3%), unilateral hyperinflation with atelectasis (3.4%), and lobar consolidation (1.7%). Intra-raters’ agreement ranged from 0.744 ( p  < 0.001) among pediatric pulmonologists to 0.326 ( p  < 0.001) among pediatric radiologists. AUC for predicting FBA based on a CXR was 0.81, 0.77, and 0.7 when interpreted by pediatric pulmonologists, pediatric residents, and radiologists, respectively ( p  < 0.001). Conclusions : CXR has a high positive predictive value and independently predicts FBA in children; however, normal CXR should not rule out FBA. Predictability is variable among different disciplines. What is Known: • Chest X-ray is an important tool in the assessment of children with suspected foreign body aspiration (FBA). • Chest X-ray can be interpreted as normal in one-third of the cases. What is New: • Chest X-ray independently predicts FBA in children, with a high positive predictive value. • The ability of chest x-ray to predict FBA in children differs between pediatric residents, pediatric radiologists, and pediatric pulmonologists.

Background: Airway stenting (AS) commenced in Europe circa 1987 with the first placement of a dedicated silicone airway stent. Subsequently, over the last 3 decades, AS was spread throughout Europe, using different insertion techniques and different types of stents. Objectives: This study is an international survey conducted by the European Association of Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (EABIP) focusing on AS practice within 26 European countries. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to all EABIP National Delegates in February 2015. National delegates were responsible for obtaining precise and objective data regarding the current AS practice in their country. The deadline for data collection was February 2016. Results: France, Germany, and the UK are the 3 leading countries in terms of number of centres performing AS. These 3 nations represent the highest ranked nations within Europe in terms of gross national income. Overall, pulmonologists perform AS exclusively in 5 countries and predominately in 12. AS is performed almost exclusively in public hospitals. AS performed under general anaesthesia is the rule for the majority of institutions, and local anaesthesia is an alternative in 9 countries. Rigid bronchoscopy techniques are predominant in 20 countries. Amongst commercially available stents, both Dumon and Ultraflex are by far the most commonly deployed. Finally, 11 countries reported that AS is an economically viable activity, while 10 claimed that it is not. Conclusion: This EABIP survey demonstrates that there is significant heterogeneity in AS practice within Europe. Therapeutic bronchoscopy training and economic issues/reimbursement for procedures are likely to be the primary reasons explaining these findings.

Background. Identifying a foreign body aspiration (FBA) still remains a diagnostic difficulty. Moreover, the indications for bronchoscopy in subjects of suspected foreign bodies are not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of pediatric pulmonologists in diagnosing FBA. Methods. This was a retrospective, single-center study on children who underwent rigid bronchoscopy for suspected FBA. Data on the patients were obtained from the medical records. Patients who had foreign bodies (FB) identified during rigid bronchoscopy were classified as FB positive, and those in whom rigid bronchoscopy did not detect FB were defined as FB negative. Demographic data as well as consultation status with a pediatric pulmonologist were compared between these two groups. Furthermore, the patients were categorized into three groups based on their clinical scores that assessed the likelihood of the presence of FB: low risk, moderate risk, and high risk. Results. Out of 474 rigid bronchoscopies, 232 (48.9%) detected FB. Consultation by a pediatric pulmonologist was not requested in 388 (81.8%). Out of these 388 patients, 206 (53%) were negative for FB. In terms of FB detection success, there was no difference between individuals who sought pulmonology consultation and those who did not (58.1% vs. 53.1% respectively, p=0.059). However, when the children were categorized based on their risk levels, the incidence of detecting FB among children in low-risk group was 42% when they received consultation from the pulmonology department, whereas this incidence dropped to 5.6% when pulmonology consultation was not sought (p<0.001). Conclusions. Consulting a pediatric pulmonologist, particularly for low-risk individuals, might reduce the likelihood of performing unnecessary bronchoscopies. Given that rigid bronchoscopy is an intrusive technique, it is crucial to reduce the number of negative bronchoscopies in order to mitigate complications associated with it.