Possibilities of fiber bronchoscopy in complex diagnosis and treatment of inhalation injuries of the tracheobronchial tree

: The treatment of patients with burn injuries of the tracheobronchial tree is a pressing problem today, because of rather high prevalence of this injury and high mortality (90%). Clinical signs during the first 24 h do not allow evaluating the severity of the injury. Based on analysis of case histories of 24 patients, the authors sum up results of complex examinations including fibrobronchoscopy, microbiological, and histological studies. Fibrobronchoscopy precisely showed the degree and extension of airway involvement in burn injuries, while accessory microbiological and histological studies help timely predict the development of pyoseptic complications. Endoscopic methods of therapy promote a more rapid reduction of inflammation and healing of erosive ulcerative involvement of the tracheobronchial mucosa.