Role of electrocautery and balloon dilatation as treatment modality for patient of benign tracheal or bronchial stenosis

Abstract

Minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in medicine have been developed to reduce patient morbidity and mortality. Tracheal stenosis most commonly occurs following the two types of airway procedure endotracheal intubation and tracheostomy. The common cause of bronchial stenosis in India is tuberculosis. We are reviewing the outcome of 12 patients who had experienced tracheal or bronchial stenosis and dilatation with electrocautery-balloon dilatation as treatment modality at a single institution over 2 years from June 2012 to May 2014. All the patients were graded for tracheal or bronchial stenosis after diagnostic fibreoptic bronchoscopy. Then, electrocautery with blend mode was used to give 1–2-mm radial incision to stenosed trachea or bronchus. Trachea or bronchi were dilated with wire-guided balloon catheter with monitoring of balloon inflation pressure system. Good tracheo-bronchial dilatation was achieved in eight cases, satisfactory dilatation was achieved in three cases and one case was failed. Flexible bronchoscope along with electrocautery and balloon dilatation appears to be least invasive, quick, safe and inexpensive for benign tracheal or bronchial stenosis.