The clinical feasibility of flexible bronchoscopy interventional therapy in patients with central airway stenosis and respiratory failure caused by malignancy

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effects and feasibility of using flexible bronchoscopy intervention in cases of malignancy that causes central airway stenosis and respiratory failure. METHODS: The clinical data of patients who were admitted to the Department of Respiratory Medicine at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and underwent treatment of a malignant tumor with central airway stenosis and respiratory failure by flexible bronchos-copy from February 2010 to May 2013 were analyzed using a retrospective method. The age, gender, location, extent of airway stenosis, interventional therapy, efficacy, and complications for 12 patients were collected and analyzed using the SPSS 13.0 software. RESULTS: After interventional therapy, the dyspnea index for all the patients improved signifi-cantly, and compared with before treatment, the difference was statistically significant (t=13.40, P<0.01). Eleven patients with respiratory failure were corrected, and only one patient was treated via tracheal intubation with mechanical ventilation. There were no severe complications, such as massive hemorrhaging or cardiac arrest in any case. CONCLUSION: Flexible bronchoscopy interventional treatment for central airway stenosis and respiratory failure caused by malignant tumors is an effective and safe method. It should be applied in clinical work.