Clinical value of bronchovideoscope in the diagnosis of pediatric upper airway obstruction

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value and safety of bronchovideoscope in the pediatric upper airway obstruction.Methods Bronchovideoscope was performed in 91 pediatric patients with upper airway obstruction.The etiology was analyzed and summarized.Results (1) Our study showed that the etiology of pediatric upper airway obstruction were as follow in turn:congenital laryngo-trachemalacia (45 cases),subglottic foreign body (13 cases),laryngotracheal occupying lesion (9 cases),vocal area edema (6 cases),tracheal stenosis (5 cases),laryngopharyngeal lesion (3 cases of retropharyngeal abscess,2 cases of tumor),vocal area hyperplasia (3 cases),subglottic stenosis (2 cases),glottic paralysis (2 cases),laryngeal web (1 case).(2) The common etiology of pediatric upper airway obstruction was different with age.Neonatal period:glottic paralysis,laryngomalacia in turn;1~6 month:laryngo-trachemalacia,tracheal stenosis,subglottic foreign body in turn;1~3 year:subglottic foreign body,vocal area edema,laryngo-trachemalacia in turn,>3 year:laryngeal papilloma.(3) Specific disease had predominant age:laryngo-trachemalacia predominated in infants less than 6 month;tracheal foreign body was most common in child aged 1~3 years old;epiglottic cyst was most common in infant less than 3 month.(4) Complication:during procedure,16 patients had transient decrease of saturation of blood oxygen and 11 patients had tracheobronchial spasm.After procedure,8 patients had transient fever and 6 patients had transient aggravation of laryngeal stridor.Conclusion Bronchovideoscope plays an important role in the diagnosis of pediatric upper airway obstruction.It can directly identify position and nature of disease,and then guide treatment. Key words: Bronchovideoscope; Upper airway obstruction; Diagnosis; Children