The bronchoscopic features of endobronchial tuberculosis induced by lymphatic fistula and the efficacy of interventional treatment / 实用医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the bronchoscopic features of endobronchial tuberculosis induced by lymphatic fistula and the efficacy of interventional treatment. Methods The data on 31 patients with endobronchial tuberculosis induced by lymphatic fistula who had received bronchoscopic diagnosis and treatment in our hospital during the period of January 2010 to June 2013 were reviewed. The bronchoscopic features , along with the frequency of interventional therapies and duration of the therapies , were retrospectively analyzed; and the efficacy of the therapies and the related complications were assessed. Rusults The endoscopic appearance showed granuloma (19.4%), necrosis (51.6%), granuloma with necrosis (25.8%), and fistulous opening (3.2%). Dark gray matter or carbon deposition inside the lesions was the characteristics of endobronchial tuberculosis induced by lymphatic fistula. There were 76 orificium fistulae in 31 patients , mostly in the right side. The median frequency of treatment was five in patients with single orificium fistulae and the median treatment duration was 65 days; whereas the median frequency of treatment was nine in patients with multiple fistulae and the median treatment duration was 108 days. There were significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05 for both comparisons). The effectiveness rate of treatment was 98.7%. The therapy-related complication was of a small amount of bleeding, with a rate of 2.1%. Conlusions Endobronchial tuberculosis induced by lymphatic fistula shows certain characteristics under bronchoscopic examination. Bronchoscopic clamping combined with infusions with antituberculosis agents is a safe, simple, effective therapeutic method.