Use of flexible bronchoscopy in pediatric patients

Abstract

Whereas rigid bronchoscopy was done exclusively in the pediatric patient in the past, flexible bronchoscopy has become an important tool in the past decade. The ability to perform flexible bronchoscopy using local anesthesia and sedation in the outpatient setting, or at the patient's bedside, is a significant advantage over rigid bronchoscopy, which requires general anesthesia. Flexible laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy have become important and versatile tools in the evaluation and treatment of children with upper and lower airway pathology. Patients with conditions such as tuberculosis, cancer, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, and more recently HIV, and transplant recipients, are suitable candidates for the use of the flexible bronchoscope. New technologic advances in the size and optic quality of flexible bronchoscopes have facilitated its use in the pediatric patient. This article reviews the indications, contraindications, and possible complications associated with the use of flexible bronchoscopy in the pediatric age group.