Abstract

 BACKGROUND:
Bronchoscopy is widely used diagnostic and therapeutic tools in pulmonary medicine. Findings related
to tumor effect, safety profile and patient presentation were explained for patients referred to
bronchoscopy unit.
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the bronchoscopic findings combined with clinical presentation and radiological
appearance as well as determining safety for patients referred to bronchoscopy unit.
METHOD:
Fiberoptic bronchoscopy arranged for 101 patients included, 69 males and 32 females. Age range 50.7-
67.3 years at the bronchoscopy unit in Baghdad teaching hospital. Review of history and clinical
examination performed. Inspection of tracheobronchial tree and appropriate sampling of visible lesions
were performed.
RESULTS:
Cough was the major presenting symptoms (64.3%), followed by dyspnea (28.7%) and hemoptysis
(17.8%). Involvement of vocal cord seen in 12.8%, tracheal lesions in 15.8% of patients. Carinal
distortion observed in 2.9%. The right bronchial tree involved more than left one (39.6% and 29.7%
respectively). Mass and/ or nodules are the main findings detected (82%), followed by bronchial
narrowing due to tumor effect in 42.5%. In tumors located in the main bronchi 96% were more than
2cm from the carina. No mortality was recorded, while bleeding occur in 2.9%, hypoxemia in 4.9%,
and fever in 0.9% of patients.
CONCLUSION:
With flexible bronchoscopy, endobronchial mass and associated neoplastic bronchial wall lesions were
frequently found in patients referred for lung tumor evaluation. It is a very safe procedure. Cough,
dyspnea and hemoptysis were the commonest presenting symptoms for patients referred for
bronchoscopy.