Smoking and complications during bronchoscopy

Objectives: To evaluate complications associated with bronchoscopy and its procedures based on smoking history of patients undergoing bronchoscopy in our area. Methodology: A prospective observational study was designed including all consecutive patients undergoing bronchoscopy in our section for 7 months, collecting demographic data, smoking history and complications happened during bronchoscopy, performing a statistical analysis of the data obtained. Results: 316 patients were included, mean age 63 years, 74.1% men, 80% with smoking history. The mean SpO2 at the start of the examination was 95.21%, with no difference regardless of smoking history. In 83.2% of patients the procedure was performed without complications, the complications were: lingering cough (7.6%), respiratory failure (2.4%), major bleeding (3%), bronchospasm (0,9%), nausea or vomiting (0.9%), pneumothorax (0.3%), lack of cooperation (1.2%) and death (0.3%), without differences related to smoking nor technique. Despite no statistical differences, never smokers did not develop respiratory failure or bronchospasm related to technique, while 25% patients with smoking history developed respiratory failure and 9.4% bronchospasm. Conclusions: In our series, smoking history was not related to high frequency of complications associated with bronchoscopy. However respiratory failure and bronchospasm appeared only in patients with smoking history.