Flexible Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy Directed Interventions in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Objective: To describe the utility of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy for the diagnosis andmanagement in the neonatal ICU. Methods: A retrospective, medical chart review wasconducted in neonates who underwent flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy over a period of 7years. Besides demographic data and diagnostic findings, the results of medical and/orsurgical interventions done by treating neonatologist were recorded. Results: 88bronchoscopies were performed in 83 neonates, of which 37 were done throughendotracheal tube. Indications included persistent need for mechanical ventilation (32),persistent atelectasis (21), and stridor (27). Most common airway anomalies diagnosedincluded tracheobronchomalacia (20), laryngomalacia (18), subglottic stenosis (7), choanalatresia (4), laryngeal cleft (4), and tracheoesophageal fistula (4). Surgical interventions wereundertaken in 17 cases (9 tracheostomies and 2 cases of slide tracheoplasty). Conclusion:Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy can be beneficial for the diagnosis and management ofneonates with persistent or undiagnosed respiratory problems.

Flexible Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy in Pediatric Practice

Flexible fiberopticbronchoscopy a vital diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for assessing the airway. Its logistics, clinical indicationsand utility need to be elucidated in pediatric context. Pediatric flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy is useful for diagnosis of airwayanomalies, bronchoalveolar lavage for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, and interventions like foreign body removal. Newer ultra-thin bronchoscopes can be used to perform this procedure in children of all ages. Pediatric flexible bronchoscopy is a valuablediagnostic and therapeutic tool in the hands of skilled personnel when used judiciously

Commentary – Controversies surrounding mercury in vaccines: autism denial as impediment to universal immunisation.

In 2004, the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) published a paper showing that there is no link between the age at which a child is vaccinated with MMR and the vaccinated children’s risk of a subsequent diagnosis of autism. One of the authors, William Thompson, has now revealed that statistically significant information was deliberately omitted from the paper. Thompson first told Dr S Hooker, a researcher on autism, about the manipulation of the data. Hooker analysed the raw data from the CDC study afresh. He confirmed that the risk of autism among African American children vaccinated before the age of 2 years was 340% that of those vaccinated later.