A Retrospective Analysis of Children with Lower Airway Malacia in a Tertiary Paediatric Hospital
2020
Background: Airway malacia is a condition of excessive airway collapsibility, which causes expiratory reduction in the cross-sectional luminal area during respiration. As this disorder may lead to life threatening events and even death in children, it is important to recognise and treat it. Aims: In this study, we aimed to evaluate clinical and radiological features, prognoses, and associated disorders of the patients with lower airway malacia. Methods: A total of 65 patients with lower airway malacia diagnosed by flexible bronchoscopy were included in this study. Demographic and clinical features, radiological findings, video image records of bronchoscopy and prognoses of the patients were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Lower airway malacia was diagnosed in 65 (16.6%) children with a median age of 1 year and 2 months (range: 1 month-16 years and 8 months). Thirty-five (53.8%) of them were male. The numbers of children with isolated tracheomalacia, isolated bronchomalacia and tracheobronchomalacia were nine (13.8%), 48 (73.8%) and eight (12.3%), respectively. The most common reason for admission was recurrent and/or prolonged respiratory infection (46.2%) and the most common physical examination finding was stridor (36.9%). Fifty-eight (89.2%) patients had other co-morbidities associated with airway malacia. Inhaled ipratropium bromide therapy was started for 37 (56.9%) patients. Ten (15.4%) patients required continuous positive pressure support.. Conclusion: Lower airway malacia is an important disorder in children with respiratory problems and flexible bronchoscopy is a valuable diagnostic method. Sharing experiences in terms of diagnosis and treatment modalities would help patients as well as clinicians.
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