Indications for flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy in pediatric patients.

Although the availability of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) has been a major advance in adult pulmonary medicine, the role of FFB in pediatrics has remained less well defined. Therefore, a two-year retrospective study was undertaken to determine the indications for FFB in 95 pediatric patients (mean age, 6.9 years) who underwent 129 FFB procedures. Indications for FFB included stridor (41/129), abnormal chest roentgenogram (38/129), airway evaluation in patients with tracheostomy (13/129), airway obstruction (11/129), hoarseness (9/129), recurrent pneumonia (7/129), chronic cough (4/129), failed extubation (3/129), tracheal injury (2/129), and hemoptysis (1/129). Overall, a specific diagnosis was made in 88% of cases, of which 48% involved a lower airway disorder. A minor complication rate of 2% was observed with no major complications.