Yield and complications of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy in a teaching hospital

From the Pulmonary Division, Department of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaTo assess the diagnostic yield and safety of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB). Original Articles Methods: A retrospective review of bronchoscopy reports and corresponding patients’ charts over 3 years from January 2004 - December 2006 in King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Indication for procedure, suspected diagnosis, final diagnosis, and complications were reported. Results: Out of 720 patients, 707 (98.2%) patients had a full follow up. Five hundred and ninty-two (83.7%) underwent FFB for diagnostic purposes and 115 (16.3%) for therapeutic purposes. The mean age was 42 ± 18 years. Infection, including mycobacterium tuberculosis, and malignancy were the 2 main indications for FFB (35.9% and 25.9%). The overall diagnostic yield was 58%. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 67% of suspected cases, whereas bacterial pneumonia was diagnosed in 40.5%. Malignancy was confirmed in 61.2% of suspected cases. Bronchoscopy diagnosed 37 (43%) of 86 patients with interstitial lung disease. The diagnostic yield was 57% for sarcoidosis, 40% for usual interstitial pneumonia and 88% for bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia. The overall complication rate was 5%; pneumothorax occurred in 0.56% and was associated exclusively with transbronchial biopsy. No mortality was observed. Conclusion: Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy is a useful diagnostic tool with a low rate of complications. The diagnostic yield in our institution is similar to that reported in Western series