Indications and Efficacy of Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy in the ICU: Have They Changed Since Its Introduction in Clinical Practice?

Table 4

Cases in which airway exploration was the indication for FOB.

Indication or suspicion	Findings	Management
Upper airway obstruction, non intubated	Laryngotracheitis*	Conservative plus steroids
Postintubation tracheal stenosis	Bilateral vocal cord paralysis	Tracheostomy
IOP before withdrawn of tracheal stent	Adequate tracheal lumen	CIT
IOP after tracheoplasty	Adequate tracheal lumen and cicatrization	CIT
IOP after dilatation of tracheal stenosis	Adequate tracheal lumen	CIT
IOP after dilatation of tracheal stenosis	Adequate tracheal lumen	CIT
IOP after dilatation of tracheal stenosis	Adequate tracheal lumen	CIT
IOP airway obstruction, intubated	Adequate airway patency*	NC
IOP airway obstruction, intubated	Organized clot occluding OTT*	Change of cannula
IOP airway obstruction, intubated	Clots and mucus plugs occluding OTT and trachea*	Change of cannula and lavage
IOP airway obstruction, tracheostomized	Adequate airway patency*	NC
IOP airway obstruction, tracheostomized	Tracheostomy cannula displacement	Correct placement of cannula
Infected tracheostomy, tracheal damage	Complex tracheal cartilage loss	Change to large tracheostomy cannula
Postextubation laryngeal stridor	Normal larynx and trachea*	NC
Postlobectomy bronchial fistula	No findings suggestive of fistula	NC
Metastasis of esophageal cancer	Positive biopsy on histopathology*	CIT

FOB: fiberoptic bronchoscopy; IOP: inspection of airway patency; CIT: continuance with the installed treatment; NC: no change in treatment; OTT: orotracheal tube.
*Cases in which complete bronchial exploration was performed.