Role of bronchoscope in acute respiratory failure

Abstract

Background: Bronchoscopy was introduced in the late nineteenth century and its use is tremendously increased for several diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. However, it role for acute respiratory failure in our institution is still lacking. The aim of this study was to make an updated revision on the clinical conditions for bronchoscopy in adults with acute respiratory failure and to assess the high risky patients during the bronchoscopy procedure

Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. It included 90 patients with acute respiratory failure with hypoxemia. According to initial (provisional) diagnosis, there were 6 groups (each 15 patient): 1) Pneumonic hypoxemic group, 2) ILD hypoxemic group, 3) Neoplastic hypoxemic group, 4) Hemoptysis hypoxemic group, 5) Perioperative hypoxemic group, and 6) Foreign body aspiration hypoxemic group. All were evaluated by full history taking, clinical examination, and laboratory investigations. Furthermore, bronchoscopy was performed for all patients and results were documented

Results: The findings from this study demonstrated that bronchoscopy was particularly effective in resolving airway obstruction, clearing mucus plugs, managing hemoptysis, and obtaining diagnostic samples for cytological and histopathological evaluation. The procedure produced diagnostic yield and improved patient outcomes, especially in cases of pneumonia, neoplastic obstruction, and postoperative lung collapse. Bronchoscopy is generally a safe procedure when performed with proper monitoring and patient selection, even in critically ill individuals.

Conclusion: Bronchoscopy plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis and management of patients with acute respiratory failure. Its use provides direct visualization of the airways, enabling accurate identification of underlying causes such as infection, malignancy, airway obstruction, and foreign body aspiration. The findings from this study demonstrated that bronchoscopy significantly contributed to both diagnostic clarification and therapeutic intervention across a variety of clinical conditions.