Fiberoptic bronchoscopic study of tracheobronchial arborization

ABSTRACT

In a trial to study the arborization patterns of tracheo-bronchial tree among a representative sample of Egyptian individuals, 258 subjects who were candidate for fiberoptic bronchoscopy and 10 volunteers were studied in this work. The results confirmed the documented and world wide accepted airways patterns. However unusual patterns were observed in 22.7%, 2.1% and 20.33% of the right upper, middle and right lower lobes bronchi respectively. In addition a subsegmental bronchus was detected in the right lower lobe of one case only 23.3% of left upper lobe proper, lingual and left lower lobe basal bronchi [0.41%]. On the other hand 13.6%, 1.6% and respectively showed unusual patterns. This study might be a pilot mirror of the airways arborization patterns among Egyptians which should be considered during bronchoscopy technique