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Aerosol generating procedures are avoided for COVID-19 patients to lower the risk of transmission to healthcare providers. However, when bronchoscopy is indicated, it remains unclear if the procedure performed under general anesthesia leads to contamination of the surroundings and if standard endoscopy reprocessing methods are effective in eradicating SARS-CoV-2. We share our experience of bronchoscopic retrieval of airway foreign body under general anesthesia in a patient tested positive for novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID 19). We focus on anesthesia techniques to minimise aerosolization.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Simulation enhances a physician's competency in procedural skills by accelerating ascent of the learning curve. Training programmes are moving away from the Halstedian model of 'see one, do one, teach one', also referred as medical apprenticeship. We aimed to determine if a 3-month structured bronchoscopy curriculum that incorporated simulator training could improve bronchoscopy competency among pulmonary medicine trainees. METHODS We prospectively recruited trainees from hospitals with accredited pulmonary medicine programmes. Trainees from hospitals (A, B and C) were assigned to control group (CG) where they received training by traditional apprenticeship while trainees from hospital D were assigned to intervention group (IG) where they underwent 3-month structured curriculum that incorporated training with the bronchoscopy simulator. Two patient bronchoscopy procedures per trainee were recorded on video and scored independently by two expert bronchoscopists using the modified Bronchoscopy Skills and Tasks Assessment Tool (BSTAT) forms. A 25 multiple choice questions (MCQ) test was administered to all participants at the end of 3 months. RESULTS Eighteen trainees participated; 10 in CG and eight in IG with equal female:male ratio. Competency assessed by modified BSTAT and MCQ tests was variable and not driven by volume as IG performed fewer patient bronchoscopies but demonstrated better BSTAT, airway anaesthesia and MCQ scores. Bronchoscopy simulator training was the only factor that correlated with better BSTAT (r = 0.80), MCQ (r = 0.85) and airway anaesthesia scores (r = 0.83), and accelerated the learning curve of IG trainees. CONCLUSION An intensive 3-month structured bronchoscopy curriculum that incorporated simulator training led to improved cognitive and technical skill performance as compared with apprenticeship training.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is the treatment of choice for recurrence prevention in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax (SP). Although the optimal surgical technique is uncertain, bullous resection using staplers in combination with mechanical pleurodesis, chemical pleurodesis and/or staple line coverage is usually undertaken. Currently, patient satisfaction, postoperative pain and other perioperative parameters have significantly improved with advancements in thoracoscopic technology, which include uniportal, needlescopic and nonintubated VATS variants. Ipsilateral recurrences after VATS occur in less than 5% of patients, in which case a redo-VATS is a feasible therapeutical option. Randomized controlled trials are urgently needed to shed light on the best definitive management of SP.

Thoracoscopy is an increasingly common procedure that provides significant clinical information and therapeutic applications. The procedure allows the physician to biopsy the parietal pleura under direct visualization with high accuracy. In addition, one can drain pleural fluid, place a chest tube in a precise location, and perform poudrage pleurodesis. Medical thoracoscopy (MT) is carried out in the operating room or procedure suite under moderate sedation with spontaneous ventilation. In comparison, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is performed under general anesthesia with single lung ventilation and through multiple ports in the operating room. MT is less invasive, has a comparable diagnostic yield, and may be better tolerated in high-risk patients. The indications, complications, and advances in thoracoscopy will be discussed in this article. In the era of rapidly evolving therapeutics for lung cancer, immune-modulation and ever-increasing risks of immunosuppression, MT will evolve and continue to play a pivotal role in the evaluation and research of pleuropulmonary diseases.

Thoracoscopy or pleuroscopy provides the physician a window into the pleural space. The procedure allows biopsy of the parietal pleura under direct visualization with good accuracy. In addition, it achieves therapeutic goals of fluid drainage, guided chest tube placement, and pleurodesis. Thoracoscopy fell into oblivion with the development of antituberculous drugs; however, the procedure enjoyed resurgence when thoracic surgeons introduced the technique for minimally invasive surgery, also known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). VATS is performed under general anesthesia with single-lung ventilation, while pleuroscopy is performed by the pulmonologist in an endoscopy suite using non-disposable rigid or flex-rigid instruments, local anesthesia, and conscious sedation. Despite more sensitive tools to image the pleura such as contrast-enhanced CT, MRI, ultrasonography, and positron emission tomography, increased yield with image guided biopsy, as well as advances in cytopathology, pleuroscopy will evolve with time, complement novel techniques, and continue to play a pivotal role in the evaluation of pleuropulmonary diseases.

A 32-year-old female never smoker presented with dyspnoea and stridor. CT thorax showed a polypoidal mass obstructing the trachea. Bronchoscopy revealed a circumferential nodular tumour 4 cm from the vocal cords, removed using electrosurgical snare and thereby re-establishing trachea patency (figure 1A,B). Histology showed adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). She underwent tracheal resection; as the resection margins showed ACC with perineural and fascia invasion, she received adjuvant radiation therapy 72 Gy. Yearly CT chest was performed for surveillance and CT 8 years after surgery showed enlarged subcarinal lymphadenopathy, bilateral pulmonary nodules and a left thyroid nodule (figure 1C,D). Thyroid ultrasound fine-needle aspiration confirmed 1 cm hypoechoic nodule due to ACC. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration of subcarinal lymph node revealed metastatic ACC (figure 2), but no recurrence in the trachea. Figure 1 (A) Malignant polypoidal tracheal tumour with 80% obstruction (B) CT coronal view showed polypoidal …

Endobronchial tuberculosis (EBTB) is defined as tuberculous infection of the tracheobronchial tree. The exact pathogenesis is unclear, and it has a heterogenous clinical course. Its diagnosis requires the clinician to have a high index of suspicion based on clinical symptoms and radiological features. Computed tomography and bronchoscopy are useful tools in its evaluation. The goal of treatment is in the eradication of tuberculous bacilli with appropriate anti-tuberculous therapy. Use of corticosteroids is controversial for the prevention of tracheobronchial stenosis. Interventional bronchoscopy or surgical intervention is employed to restore airway patency once significant stenosis occurs.

Medical thoracoscopy provides the physician a window into the pleural space. The procedure allows biopsy of the parietal pleura under direct visualization with good accuracy. In addition, it achieves therapeutic goals of fluid drainage, guided chest tube placement, and pleurodesis.Comparable diagnostic yield is achieved with the flexi-rigid pleuroscope even though pleural biopsies are smaller using the flexible forceps as compared to rigid thoracoscopy. Flexi-rigid pleuroscopy is extremely well tolerated and can be performed safely as an outpatient procedure. Biopsy quality can be further enhanced with accessories that are compatible with the flex-rigid pleuroscope such as the insulated tip knife and cryoprobe.With more sensitive tools to image the pleura such as contrast-enhanced computed tomography, MRI, ultrasonography, PET, increased yield with image-guided biopsy as well as advances in cytopathology, what lies in the future for medical thoracoscopy remains to be seen. However, it is the authors' opinion that medical thoracoscopy will evolve with time, complement novel techniques, and continue to play a pivotal role in the evaluation of pleuropulmonary diseases.

For a long time lung cancer was associated with a fatalistic approach by healthcare professionals. In recent years, advances in imaging, improved diagnostic techniques and more effective treatment modalities are reasons for optimism. Accurate lung cancer staging is vitally important because treatment options and prognosis differ significantly by stage. The staging algorithm should include a contrast computed tomography (CT) of the chest and the upper abdomen including adrenals, positron emission tomography/CT for staging the mediastinum and to rule out extrathoracic metastasis in patients considered for surgical resection, endosonography-guided needle sampling procedure replacing mediastinoscopy for near complete mediastinal staging, and brain imaging as clinically indicated. Applicability of evidence-based guidelines for staging of lung cancer depends on the available expertise and level of resources and is directly impacted by financial issues. Considering the diversity of healthcare infrastructure and economic performance of Asian countries, optimal and cost-effective use of staging methods appropriate to the available resources is prudent. The pulmonologist plays a central role in the multidisciplinary approach to lung cancer diagnosis, staging and management. Regional respiratory societies such as the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology should work with national respiratory societies to strive for uniform standards of care. For developing countries, a minimum set of care standards should be formulated. Cost-effective delivery of optimal care for lung cancer patients, including staging within the various healthcare systems, should be encouraged and most importantly, tobacco control implementation should receive an absolute priority status in all countries in Asia.

This Year in Review examines the most relevant articles published on lung cancer, respiratory infections, tuberculosis (TB), cystic fibrosis (CF), pleural diseases, and interventional pulmonology and imaging in Respirology and other respiratory medicine journals during 2013. Important findings are highlighted with comments in the following sections, each of which was contributed by an author as named in the beginning of each section.

A middle-aged Indian woman with knee pain had consumed ayurvedic medicine (Ostolief and Arthrella tablets) daily for 6 months. She presented to the respiratory clinic with worsening dyspnea, cough and weight loss of 2 months' duration. She was a homemaker, never-smoker and did not keep birds. Physical examination detected fine end-inspiratory crackles. There was no clubbing of the fingers, joint deformity or swelling, skin lesion or enlarged cervical lymphadenopathy. High-resolution computed tomography showed diffuse centrilobular nodules with ground-glass attenuation. Restrictive ventilatory defect (FVC 44% predicted, FEV1/FVC ratio 93%) was observed on spirometry, and the autoimmune screen was negative. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed lymphocytosis with an increased CD4/CD8 (T helper:T suppressor) ratio. Cultures for bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, viruses and Pneumocystis carinii were negative. Alveolitis with infiltration of interstitium by lymphocytes and peribronchiolar noncaseating granulomas were observed on bronchoscopic lung biopsy. A diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis as a result of ayurvedic medicine was made. She was advised to stop the offending medicine; high-dose steroids and bactrim prophylaxis were commenced and tapered over 3 months with good response and radiological resolution. She was followed for 1 year without relapse.

A 42-year-old Malay man presented with cough productive of yellowish sputum, hoarseness and intermittent daily fever associated with chills and rigours for 3 weeks. Apart from previous pulmonary TB in 1994 for which treatment was complete, there were no other comorbidities. The patient was an active cigarette smoker of 20 pack-years, and worked as an outdoor project coordinator frequently in contact with soil during field surveys in gardens. Chest radiograph showed right perihilar consolidation (figure 1A). CT thorax showed mass-like consolidation of the right upper lobe with extensive mediastinal lymphadenopathy (figure 1B). White cell count was 8.8 (range 3.4–11.0×109/L) with neutrophilia 72.2%; blood, sputum and urine for bacterial cultures, as well as sputum for acid fast bacilli smears and TB PCR assay, were negative. Random blood sugar level was 23.0 mmol/L (range 4.0–7.8 mmol/L) and glycated haemoglobin level was 12.1%. Bronchoscopy showed mobile …

Pleuroscopy provides a window to the pleural space while enabling biopsy of the parietal pleura under direct visual guidance for effusions of unknown etiology, guided chest tube placement, and pleurodesis for recurrent pleural effusions or pneumothoraces in selected patients. The procedure enjoyed resurgence when thoracic surgeons introduced the technique for video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). VATS is performed under general anesthesia with single-lung ventilation; pleuroscopy is performed in an endoscopy suite using nondisposable rigid or flex-rigid instruments, local anesthesia, and conscious sedation. Pleuroscopy is less invasive; in this review, we discuss the indications, complications, techniques, and recent advances in the procedure.

A 74-year-old man presented with cough of 3 weeks' duration. Chest X-ray showed a large left-sided pleural effusion (figure 1) that was a lymphocytic exudate with normal adenosine deaminase level, and negative bacterial and mycobacterial cultures. Flexi-rigid pleuroscopy (LTF 160, Olympus, Japan) revealed candle-wax fibrotic parietal pleura (figure 2), which was sampled using the flexible forceps (FB-55CD-1, Olympus, Japan) with cusps measuring 2.4 mm when fully open, and a cryoprobe of 2.4 mm in diameter (20416-032, Erbokryo CA, Erbe, Germany). The cryoprobe was directed to the target area and 4-second freeze time was applied. The pleuroscope and cryoprobe with the pleural specimen attached …

A 49-year-old man presented with 3 months' productive cough. He denied weight loss, fever and haemoptysis. He was an ex-smoker of 10 pack-years and was a pedestrian in a road traffic accident 20 years ago. He sustained an open skull fracture that led to residual hemiparesis and cranial diabetes insipidus. Physical examination revealed a well-nourished man. He had normal vital parameters with a heart rate of 80 bpm, blood pressure of 115/80 mm Hg and oxygen saturation of 96% on room air. Coarse crepitations were auscultated over the lower third of the left hemithorax, and there was no clubbing or cervical lymphadenopathy. Neurological examination showed mild hemiparesis on the left, without cognitive or speech deficits. …

This review highlights important contributions published in Respirology and other reputable respiratory journals in 2011 in four principle respiratory medicine areas, namely pulmonary infections, tuberculosis (TB), pleural diseases and chest imaging/interventional pulmonology. The articles have been selected for their insight, reliability and potential impact on clinical practice. From a total of 111 original articles and 40 review papers published in Respirology that year, 34% and 40%, respectively, were devoted to the earlier topics.

Summary Thoracoscopy was introduced over 100 years ago and for 40 years has been mainly used in the pneumothorax treatment of tuberculosis in those cases where pleuro-pulmonary adhesions prevented collapse of the lung. In the 1950s, the pneumothorax treatment of tuberculosis came to an end and thoracoscopy was used in a few centres by chest physicians as a diagnostic and therapeutic method in several pleuro-pulmonary diseases. In the 1990s, thoracic surgeons introduced the technique for minimally invasive surgery, known as “surgical thoracoscopy” or more precisely “video-assisted thoracic surgery” (VATS), which is performed under general anaesthesia with one-lung ventilation. In contrast, medical thoracoscopy/pleuroscopy can be performed under local anaesthesia or conscious sedation, in an endoscopy suite, using non-disposable rigid or semi-rigid instruments. Thus, it is considerably less invasive and less expensive. Today, medical thoracoscopy/pleuroscopy is increasingly used by chest physicians, mainly in patients with pleural effusion or pneumothorax including talc poudrage as best conservative pleurodesis treatment. Meanwhile, the technique is considered to be one of the main areas of interventional pneumology.

Summary Medical thoracoscopy/pleuroscopy is considered to be one of the main areas of interventional pulmonology and should be included in the training programme of the chest physician. As with all technical procedures, there is a learning curve before full competence in medical thoracoscopy/pleuroscopy is achieved. Therefore, appropriate training is mandatory. This article describes the knowledge and skills required, the contraindications and potential complications and their prevention and the instruments used, as well as step-by-step information on how to perform medical thoracoscopy/pleuroscopy, which is even easier to learn than flexible bronchoscopy.

Pleural disease in lung cancer can be benign or malignant with the latter carrying a grave prognosis. In this review, we describe and discuss the advances in pleural imaging, procedures, and biomarkers for the diagnosis of pleural diseases in lung cancer. Ultrasound and computed tomography are increasingly applied in the planning of pleural procedures to enhance diagnostic accuracy and safety whilst pleuroscopy gives excellent yield in excess of 93% in the evaluation of cytology negative pleural effusions. Invasion beyond the elastic layer of the visceral pleura upstages lung cancer, and may indicate a need for adjuvant chemotherapy. Biomarkers isolated from pleural fluid or tissue may aid in diagnosis and guide treatment in the future. Magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, narrow band imaging of the pleura and autofluorescence thoracoscopy are technologies that require further evaluation to better define their respective roles in the diagnostic algorithms of pleural diseases in lung cancer.

Transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is a bronchoscopic technique that provides access to masses within the mediastinum. It is operator dependent, and factors such as needle type, lymph node site, and endobronchial ultrasosonography (EBUS) have been implicated as having an impact on its accuracy. This study aimed to develop a strategy for TBNA and specimen preparation techniques as the first step toward improving TBNA yield, and to determine whether EBUS can augment its application. Intervention included standardizing the use of the histology needle and the direct smear method. As competency improved, radial probe (RP) and linear EBUS were incorporated into TBNA. The study assessed 35 conventional TBNA procedures before and 45 of these procedures after intervention as well as 45 RP-EBUS and 50 linear EBUS-guided TBNA procedures. Frequently sampled lymph node stations were 7, 4R, and 4L in the American Thoracic Society classification. The preintervention conventional TBNA yield was 43%, which improved to 82% after intervention. Although EBUS did not have an impact on TBNA yield (p = 0.44) compared with the intervention (p = 0.001), EBUS was useful for lymph nodes smaller than 2 cm (p

From the humble beginnings as a mere curiosity, the art of bronchoscopy has progressed at a rapid pace. The millennium ushers in new technologies and refinements in established techniques to facilitate early detection of cancer, precise targeting of pulmonary nodules and infiltrates, near-total staging of the mediastinum with combined endoscopic modalities and more effective palliation of inoperable tumours. Bronchoscopists are faced with an increasing myriad of tools and equipment, each promising to carry out better than the previous. It is opportune to review the complications of established bronchoscopic techniques and how to manage them as well as new complications associated with novel technologies. In this article, we provide a concise overview of diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopic modalities, discussion of associated complications and their management strategies.

Advances in imaging technologies are currently being explored in the attempt to reduce lung cancer morbidity and mortality by achieving stage shift. We reviewed recent important publications on lung cancer screening.Autofluorescence bronchoscopy has established its important role in the intervention of early central airway lesions. Multidetector computed tomography (CT) and CT-positron emission tomography may facilitate diagnosis of early parenchymal lung lesions. Practical implications of screening are reaching far beyond early diagnostic efforts per se as lead-time, length-time, overdiagnosis biases combined with low specificity of screening tests undermine its cost-effectiveness in the era of healthcare budget constraints.Advanced imaging technologies may allow early detection and prudent intervention in some individuals that harbour asymptomatic early lung cancer, but disproportional expenses may be required to sieve out many more individuals at risk to attain stage shift. Confounding co-morbidities and practical hurdles may reduce screening's efficacy as it is plausible that for the majority of smokers, lung cancer may not be the ultimate cause of suffering since 90% of them will not develop lung cancer. This fact remains true despite increased use of noninvasive and minimally invasive technologies for the maximum preservation of quality of life irrespective of whether early intervention is a success or failure.

Endobronchial tuberculosis refers to tuberculous infection of the tracheobronchial tree. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion since symptoms are attributed to co-existing pulmonary tuberculosis and airway lesions are not detectable on chest radiograph. While computed tomography and bronchoscopy are useful for the evaluation of tracheobronchial stenosis or obstruction, goals of treatment remain in the eradication of tubercle bacilli and prevention of airway stenosis. Corticosteroids may halt progression of active disease to fibro-stenotic stage, however if tracheobronchial stenosis causing post-obstructive pneumonia, atelectasis and dyspnea has occurred, airway patency must be restored mechanically by surgery or bronchoscopic techniques.

Background Optimal performance of bronchoscopy requires patient's comfort, physician's ease of execution, and minimal risk. There is currently a wide variation in the use of topical anesthesia, analgesia, and sedation during bronchoscopy. Methods A panel of experts was convened by the American College of Chest Physicians Interventional/Chest Diagnostic Network. A literature search was conducted on MEDLINE from 1969 to 2009, and consensus was reached by the panel members after a comprehensive review of the data. Randomized controlled trials and prospective studies were given highest priority in building the consensus. Results In the absence of contraindications, topical anesthesia, analgesia, and sedation are suggested in all patients undergoing bronchoscopy because of enhanced patient tolerance and satisfaction. Robust data suggest that anticholinergic agents, when administered prebronchoscopy, do not produce a clinically meaningful effect, and their use is discouraged. Lidocaine is the preferred topical anesthetic for bronchoscopy, given its short half life and wide margin of safety. The use of a combination of benzodiazepines and opiates is suggested because of their synergistic effects on patient tolerance during the procedure and the added antitussive properties of opioids. Propofol is an effective agent for sedation in bronchoscopy and can achieve similar sedation, amnesia, and patient tolerance when compared with the combined administration of benzodiazepines and opiates. Conclusions We suggest that all physicians performing bronchoscopy consider using topical anesthesia, analgesic and sedative agents, when feasible. The existing body of literature supports the safety and effectiveness of this approach when the proper agents are used in an appropriately selected patient population.

Bronchoscopy in the new millennium spells an exciting time for the pulmonologist, which likens to Alice peering through the looking glass into a wonderland of miniaturized probes, optics, and technology that are advancing at a maddening pace. Although scientists continue to push the envelope using nanotechnology that may facilitate further miniaturization of probes to allow imaging at the cellular or molecular level, it is opportune to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of available technologies and bronchoscopic techniques for the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer, in its early detection and palliation. We appraise current technologies and what they hold for the future.

A 72-year-old man presented with right-sided pleuritic chest pain, chronic cough and weight loss. Chest x ray revealed a moderate sized pleural effusion. Chest CT showed thromboembolism of the right main pulmonary artery, and pleural effusion with compression atelactasis of the right lower lobe of the lung (fig 1). As the thrombus appeared suspicious, being unilateral, central and occupying the entire lumen of the pulmonary artery without abnormality in the contralateral lung, magnetic resonance arteriography was performed which showed heterogeneous enhancement (fig 2). Positron …

Background: Autofluorescence bronchoscopy is more sensitive than conventional bronchoscopy for detecting early airway mucosal lesions. Decreased specificity can lead to excessive biopsy and increased procedural time. Onco-LIFE, a device that combines fluorescence and reflectance imaging, allows numeric representation by expressing red-to-green ratio (R/G ratio) within the region of interest. The aim of the study was to determine if color fluorescence ratio (R/G ratio) added to autofluorescence bronchoscopy could provide an objective means to guide biopsy. Methods: Subjects at risk for lung cancer were recruited at two centers: VU University Medical Centre (Amsterdam) and BC Cancer Agency (Canada). R/G ratio for each site appearing normal or abnormal was measured before biopsy. R/G ratios were correlated with pathology, and a receiver operating characteristic curve of R/G ratio for high-grade and moderate dysplasia was done. Following analysis of the training data set obtained from two centers, a prospective validation study was done. Results: Three thousand three hundred sixty-two adequate biopsies from 738 subjects with their corresponding R/G ratios were analyzed. R/G ratio 0.54 conferred 85% sensitivity and 80% specificity for the detection of high-grade and moderate dysplasia, area under the curve was 0.90, and 95% confidence interval was 0.88 to 0.92. In another 70 different sites that were assessed, κ measurements of agreement of R/G ratios with visual scores and pathology were 0.66 (P < 0.0001) and 0.61 (P < 0.0001), respectively. R/G ratio combined with visual score improved specificity to 88% (95% confidence interval, 0.73-0.96) for high-grade and moderate dysplasia. Conclusion: Color fluorescence ratio can objectively guide the bronchoscopist in selecting sites for biopsy with good pathologic correlation.

Bronchoscopy in the new millennium spells an exciting time for the pulmonologist, which likens to Alice peering through the looking glass into a wonderland of miniaturized probes, superior optics and

Objective: This study aimed to assess prospectively the accuracy, safety and outcome of flex-rigid pleuroscopy in the diagnosis of patients with indeterminate pleural effusions. Methods: Included in the study were all patients with unilateral exudative pleural effusions of unknown aetiology who underwent diagnostic flex-rigid pleuroscopy from July 2003 to June 2005, and were followed until December 2005. The procedure was conducted in the endoscopy suite under local anaesthesia and, where indicated, talc poudrage was carried out at the same time. Clinical data, length of hospitalization, chest tube drainage, outcome, diagnostic accuracy of pleuroscopy and procedure-related adverse events were recorded prospectively. Results: Fifty-one patients were recruited (20 male and 31 female). Median age was 53 years (range 45–67). Flex-rigid pleuroscopy was 96% accurate and yielded a diagnosis in 49 out of 51 patients. It was safely carried out without need for surgical intervention, blood transfusion or endotracheal intubation. Culture-negative fever was observed in eight patients (16%), and five patients (10%) required additional analgesia for postoperative pain. Duration of chest tube drainage and length of stay for patients who underwent diagnostic pleuroscopy were 1 and 2 days, respectively, while they were both 3 days when talc poudrage was carried out. Success rates with pleuroscopic talc pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusions were 94%, 92% and 89.5% at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively, and the 30-day mortality was 0%. Conclusion: Flex-rigid pleuroscopy is a safe procedure with a high diagnostic accuracy and should be considered for the evaluation of indeterminate pleural effusion.

A 67-year-old female chronic smoker was evaluated for an asymptomatic right paratracheal mass and the diagnosis of double-arch aorta was made. She returned 2 years later with dyspnoea on exertion, productive cough and wheeze on lying supine. Flow volume curve showed variable intrathoracic airway obstruction, and bronchoscopy revealed extrinsic compression of the trachea by double-arch aorta with destruction of the cartilaginous layer visualized on endobronchial ultrasonography. Endobronchial ultrasonography may be a useful adjunctive tool for the identification of adults at risk of postoperative tracheomalacia where tracheopexy or airway stenting can be performed concurrently or sequentially if surgery is contemplated.

INTRODUCTION: Selecting the appropriate treatment strategy for patients with locally advanced non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC) is of utmost importance to determine patient outcome. Previous studies have shown that nodal down-staging after induction therapy and definitive local irradiation in these patients better predict survival when combined with surgery. However, nodal restaging can be technically difficult. We investigated the role of transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) in mediastinal restaging of patients who had completed induction cytotoxic therapy. METHODS: A total of 14 patients with proven stage IIIa-N2 NSCLC who received chemotherapy or chemo-radiotherapy as induction regimen between 2005 and 2006 were studied. Outpatient flexible bronchoscopy with TBNA was performed in all patients under local anesthesia, and 17 TBNA procedures were performed. TBNA results were matched against the histopathology of surgical specimens. RESULTS: Seventeen lymph nodes in 14 patients who had undergone induction therapy were sampled. Positron emission tomography (PET) scan results of 11 patients were also available for comparison. All positive TBNA procedures had positive PET scans. However, for five patients with lymph nodes measuring 9 to 17 mm, the PET scans were falsely positive, as mediastinoscopy and subsequent surgically resected lymph nodes revealed no tumor. TBNA achieved a correct diagnosis in 71% of patients who underwent mediastinal restaging and obviated further need for invasive procedures in 35%. CONCLUSION: For patients presenting with locally advanced NSCLC who are surgical candidates after induction chemo- and/or radiotherapy, TBNA should be considered as the initial procedure of choice for restaging of the mediastinum.

The incorporation of autofluorescence (AF) to white light bronchoscopy has led to improved sensitivity for the detection of pre-neoplastic lesions in the airways. However, AF has difficulty distinguishing benign epithelial changes such as bronchitis, previous biopsy, and airway fibrosis from pre-invasive lesions, which necessitates extensive biopsy. This frequently results in longer procedural time and need for additional sedation that may compromise patient safety, increase the risk of bronchospasm, and bleeding from multiple endobronchial biopsies. We postulate that dual imaging with simultaneous video and AF bronchoscopy of the tracheobronchial tree could improve the low specificity observed with AF in the detection of pre-invasive lesions, leading to targeted biopsy, good correlation with pathological diagnosis and shorter procedural time.Forty-eight patients with known or suspected of lung cancer underwent video and AF bronchoscopy, which were provided as real-time dual images with SAFE 3000 (Pentax, Tokyo) between March and August 2006. Biopsy specimens were taken from all suspicious areas with two random specimens from normal areas. Values were expressed as median and range, and p0.05 was considered statistically significant.Twenty-five suspicious sites were detected by dual imaging bronchoscopy, and 126 endobronchial biopsies were evaluated, of which 22 (17.5%) were graded as moderate dysplasia and worse. Sensitivity and specificity of dual imaging for the detection of high-grade dysplasia were 86% and 94%, respectively, with good correlation between bronchoscopic assessment and pathology (r=0.77, p0.0001). However, there were three random biopsy specimens obtained from normal or abnormal sites that showed severe dysplasia in two and moderate dysplasia in one. Median time taken for airway examination was 4 min (range, 4-4.8), and 5 min (range, 4-5) for biopsy, giving a total procedural time of 9 min (range, 8-10). There were no procedure-related complications noted.Dual imaging that allows simultaneous real-time assessment of the lesion with video and AF bronchoscopy not only achieves satisfactory sensitivity for the detection of pre-neoplastic lesions, importantly it improves specificity by allowing targeted biopsy, which has led to a marked decrease in procedural time and better patient safety.

An elderly woman with post-tuberculous stricture of the lower trachea and main bronchi underwent laser re-canalization, balloon dilation, and silicone stent insertion in the lower trachea and main bronchi. Subsequently she had recurrent dyspnea develop due to obstructing granulomas, which necessitated four endoscopic procedures in 2 years. The tracheal stent was removed and topical mitomycin-C was applied using saturated pledgets at a dose of 0.5 mg/mL for 2 minutes each over the lower trachea and both orifices of the main bronchi. Follow-up for 24 months showed no recurrence of symptoms. Bronchoscopy and spirometry performed at 2, 6, and 12 months showed resolution of the granulomas.

Objectives: To prospectively study all patients with COPD and spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) who underwent thoracoscopic talc poudrage (TP) under local anesthesia to determine its efficacy and safety in recurrence prevention. Methods: Data on clinical measurements, complications, duration of chest tube drainage, length of hospital stay, and outcome were collected. Results: Forty-one patients (38 men and 3 women) with a mean ( SD) age of 70.7 7.2 years were treated. All patients had COPD, with a mean FEV1 of 41 14% predicted. The majority of SPs measured 20 to 50% in size, and 34% were recurrent. Three grams of talc were insufflated into the pleural cavity without complications. Thirteen patients (32%) complained of pain, 5 (12%) developed fever, 27 (66%) had subcutaneous emphysema, and 7 (17%) had prolonged air leaks. Postoperative chest tube drainage and hospital stay were 4 and 5 days, respectively. Success was 95% after a median follow-up of 35 months. Four patients with FEV1 of < 40% predicted died within 30 days of the procedure, yielding a mortality rate of 10%. FEV1 (in liters), FEV1 (in % predicted), and ischemic heart disease were risk factors that influenced early mortality. Conclusion: Thoracoscopic TP is effective for pneumothorax prevention and can be performed with acceptable mortality in patients with advanced COPD. (CHEST 2004; 125:1315–1320)

Bronchial stenosis (BS) consequent to iron pill aspiration (IPA) has been observed in few reported cases. This condition is often irreversible and may necessitate lobectomy in severe cases. Unlike most foreign bodies (FBs), the iron pill disintegrates in the airway and cannot be detected on bronchoscopy. However, bronchial biopsy and lung tissue may reveal iron deposits along with airway inflammation months after the aspiration. Thus, IPA can be diagnosed by a triad of aspiration, airway inflammation, and iron deposits on histology even in the absence of an FB. We report a case of IPA with BS in which the diagnosis was established by bronchial biopsy and was successfully managed with balloon bronchoplasty and therapy with topical mitomycin C.

Therapeutic bronchoscopic techniques such as LPR, EC, brachytherapy, stents, and PDT are effective tools in the palliation and local control of lung cancer. Palliation of malignant tracheobronchial obstruction by LPR, stents, brachytherapy, PDT, or a combination thereof results in relief of dyspnea, hemoptysis, and postobstructive pneumonia. Importantly, it avoids intubation in patients with respiratory distress and facilitates the weaning of patients from MV. In the exciting field of lung cancer screening and treatment of early lung cancer, PDT, brachytherapy, EC, and LPR may represent treatment alternatives to surgical resection, especially in a select group of patients with high surgical risk or favorable endobronchial lesions. Clinicians await the results of future studies, which will (1) better define the impact of each treatment modality on patient care in terms of cost, survival, and improvement in quality of life, and (2) determine the optimal combination therapy relative to bronchoscopic and conventional treatment for effective palliation and cure of lung cancer.

A n asymptomatic 20-year-old Indian woman presented to our department with a prominent right tracheobronchial mass detected on a preemployment chest radiograph. She had an uneventful childhood and did not have any significant medical or surgical history. Clinical examinations of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and the abdomen were normal. The chest radiograph showed a right tracheobronchial mass with deviation of the right paravertebral pleura. The cardiac silhouette was normal, and the gastric bubble was seen below the left hemidiaphragm (Fig 1). Lateral chest radiograph revealed that the mass was behind the trachea and there was an absence of the inferior vena cava (IVC) shadow (Fig 2). CT of the thorax and abdomen showed the azygos vein to be dilated (Fig 3) as a result of absent infrahepatic IVC (Fig 4). The cardiac chambers, lungs, liver, and hepatic veins were normal, and there was no situs inversus.

The safety observed with combined midazolam and alfentanil administration is confined to patients with stable respiratory failure undergoing basic bronchoscopic procedures. These results cannot be extended to advanced techniques such as endobronchial ultrasound needle aspiration for mediastinal staging, stenting or tumor debulking using electrosurgery or argon plasma coagulation, which can be lengthy and may require deeper sedation [5] . Notwithstanding that this is the first study demonstrating feasibility of sedation during bronchoscopy in patients with respiratory failure, it is noteworthy that bronchoscopy can be successfully performed using local anesthesia alone, complemented at times with music [6] . In the study by Dreher et al. [1] published in this issue of Respiration , the authors sought to determine if sedation could be safely administered in patients with respiratory failure who required bronchoscopy. The study consisted of 2 groups of patients showing baseline hypoxemia with or without hypercapnia while breathing room air. Oxybuprocaine and conscious sedation comprising of midazolam alone or in combination with alfentanil were used. Contrary to recommendations [2] where transient apnea has been reported to occur when midazolam is combined with opioid (e.g. alfentanil), which further worsens hypoxia and carbon dioxide retention in patients with underlying respiratory failure [3] and therefore is contraindicated for routine use, Dreher et al. demonstrated that combination therapy led to halving the median dose of midazolam and better patient comfort without excessive complications or delay in recovery. Several limitations have been identified. Firstly, neither patient nor investigator was blinded to the drugs administered, which could lead to biases when reporting subjective scores. Secondly, the results were not only restricted to alfentanil, since all procedures were performed by an experienced bronchoscopist they could not be generalized to less skilful investigators. Median time and dose of midazolam for various bronchoscopic procedures were also not indicated in the study. Comparatively more transbronchial lung biopsies were performed in the midazolam group, and higher doses of midazolam might be required to obtund the cough reflex in order to facilitate performance of the procedure [4] . Published online: January 5, 2010