Lombardi C, Spedini C, Lanzani G
Divisione di Medicina Generale, Ospedale Sant'Orsola, Fatebenefratelli, Brescia.
Recenti Prog Med. 1995 Jan;86(1):17-20.
Fibreoptic bronchoscopic procedure has arisen as fundamental investigation in pneumology. This is of documented value regarding young subjects, however the utility of bronchoscopy in the elderly has not yet been fully evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of fibreoptic bronchoscopy in the elderly. We analyzed both retrospectively and prospectively our experience evaluating the indications, endoscopy findings and tolerance of the procedure in this population. Obviously patients suffering from mental illness or psychotic disease have been not included in this second session of the study. We found that elderly subjects were better compliant than young patients for the bronchoscopic procedure. The analysis showed that no differences were found, between young and elderly patients, for the total number of complications recorded. Analysing the results concerning investigations for haemoptysis we have also observed a high diagnostic value for fibreoptic bronchoscopy even in the aged group, particularly for neoplastic diseases. Our data demonstrate that fibreoptic bronchoscopy is a well tolerated procedure even in elderly patients and is associated with few complications. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy procedure provides useful diagnostic guidelines which enhances the choices of a more appropriate treatment.
纤维支气管镜检查已成为肺病学的一项基本检查。这对于年轻患者具有已被证实的价值，然而支气管镜检查在老年人中的效用尚未得到充分评估。本研究的目的是评估纤维支气管镜检查在老年人中的有效性和安全性。我们回顾性和前瞻性地分析了我们在评估该人群的检查指征、内镜检查结果和对该检查的耐受性方面的经验。显然，患有精神疾病或精神病的患者未被纳入本研究的第二阶段。我们发现老年受试者在支气管镜检查过程中的依从性比年轻患者更好。分析表明，在记录的并发症总数方面，年轻患者和老年患者之间没有发现差异。分析咯血检查的结果时，我们还观察到纤维支气管镜检查即使在老年组中也具有很高的诊断价值，特别是对于肿瘤性疾病。我们的数据表明，纤维支气管镜检查即使在老年患者中也是耐受性良好的检查，且并发症较少。纤维支气管镜检查提供了有用的诊断指南，有助于做出更合适治疗的选择。
