Prevalence of smoking in 15-64 years old population of north of Iran: meta-analysis of the results of non-communicable diseases risk factors surveillance system

Smoking is known as a major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and hence immediate and effective interventions are required for its elimination. This study aimed to collect valid data with regard to cigarette smoking in adult population of north of Iran for policy making by a meta-analysis of the documents of national non-communicable disease risk factors surveillance system. We investigated relevant evidences by searching in published and non-electronic databases. Data were extracted based on variables such as year of the study, sex, age group and prevalence of smoking habit. Based on results of heterogeneity, we applied fixed or random effects model to estimate the overall prevalence of cigarette smoking. All analyses were performed using STATA 11 software. A total of 20747 subjects [10381 males and 10366 females] in five age groups 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54 and 55-64 years were interviewed. Meta-analysis in men and women showed prevalence of 19.2% [15.8-22.6%] and 0.3% [0.2-0.5%] respectively. Results of the present meta-analysis showed as much as one fifth of male population of north of Iran are smoker. Subgroup analysis also revealed that the rate of smoking was higher among the middle-aged men

Balloon bronchoplasty: case series

Central airway stenosis may be a manifestation of benign or malignant lesions and can be a life threatening condition. There are different surgical and endoscopic modalities for treatment of these lesions. Balloon bronchoscopy is an interventional pulmonologic modality and can be performed under direct vision or fluoroscopic guidance. This technique can be used along with other interventional modalities for treatment of patients with tracheal stenosis. In this study we report balloon bronchoscopy as an interventional modality in a series of patients with tracheal stenosis and assess the outcome

Argon plasma coagulation in treatment of post intubation tracheal stenosis

Acquired tracheal stenosis can be created by various malignant or benign causes. The most common cause of acquired non-malignant tracheal stenosis is endotracheal intubation, even for a short period. Argon plasma coagulation is a non-contact method of thermal hemostasis. Argon plasma coagulation can be used easily and fast and has low depth of penetration. This study is single blinded. Subjects are patients with tracheal stenosis after endotracheal intubation that were selected by non probability sampling and were studied from March 2007 to November 2009 in bronchoscopy and laser center of Masih Daneshvari hospital. First, for each patient, a diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy was performed to identify the type, location, and severity of the stenosis. Then under general anesthesia patients underwent rigid bronchoscopy. Then, with Argon plasma coagulation device [ERBE VIO 200D] the stenosis was removed as possible. After two weeks, a new PFT [pulmonary function test] was done for checking the obstructive signs. Of these 34 patients, 24 were asymptomatic for more than 1 year and responded to treatment[70/6%], 5 were asymptomatic for more than 10 months and less than 12 months [14/7%] and 5 did not have asymptomatic periods more than 10 months and did not respond to treatment. In follow-up PFTs, FEV1 in all patients who were asymptomatic for more than 10 months had significant progress; therefore, in 27 out of 29 patients at the end of the study, FEV1 was more than 90% and 2 patients had FEV1 of 70-90%. In fact, although the surgical treatment remains the main treatment of tracheal stenosis after intubation [PITS], if this method is not possible for any reason, APC is very useful as a safe and effective method

Foreign body removal using bronchoscopy and argon plasma coagulation

Foreign Body Aspiration can be a life threatening event especially for young children with smaller diameters of airway size. The foreign body can result in body response and granulation tissue formation around the object which makes the foreign body removal difficult. In such situations surgical intervention is usually needed but with interventional pulmonology modalities we can restrict the need of surgery

Removal of impacted foreign body by bronchoscopic modalities

Foreign Body [FB] aspiration is a life threatening event. Long interval between aspiration and removal can result in formation of granulation tissue around the FB. It can significantly affect the lung structure and manifest as a medical problem requiring surgery and increasing the related complications. It may also limit the visual field and extraction maneuver by flexible bronchoscope. In this case series we report 4 cases of FB aspiration in which FB is covered with granulation tissue and we also discuss different strategies to successful removal of these objects