Interventional bronchoscopy: ain Shams University Hospital experience

ABSTRACT

Bronchoscopy has evolved considerably in our hospital. During recent years, we implemented the concept of interventional bronchoscopy [IB] for the first time in Egypt. IB is defined as a diagnostic and invasive therapeutic interventions that extend beyond routine Flexible bronchoscopy. In this article, we will review our clinical experience with IB during the last five years as regards methodology requirements, available equipments, clinical applications and presentation of selected research outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed all available reports of therapeutic IB performed in our bronchoscopy unit to determine the indications, application sites, methods of disobliteration and complications of therapeutic IB. In addition, recent interesting research work done on endobronchial ultrasound, autofluorescence bronchoscopy, Nd YAG laser bronchoscopy and endobronchial electrocautery was reviewed. In order to perform an interventional procedure, well-equipped facilities, trained personnel, preprocedure evaluation, and monitoring are mandatory. More than 500 invasive therapeutic interventions were performed in the past 5 years. The results and analysis of these IB were reviewed. We concluded from the presented data that IB has quickly gained recognition and drawn interest with its promising results. Much effort is needed to overcome challenges facing IB awareness, financial concerns, training and verification of competency in our country