The role of rigid bronchoscopy in complex airway disorders

Rigid bronchoscopy is a diagnostic and therapeutic tool used to treat complex airways disorders. It plays a central role in the management of central airway obstruction caused by benign or malignant diseases; and requires close cooperation between the bronchoscopist and the anesthesiologist as they share the same operative field. Rigid bronchoscopy requires deep sedation or general anesthesia, intubation with the rigid bronchoscope and adequate oxygenation and ventilation during the procedure. The choice of ventilation techniques include apneic oxygenation, spontaneous assisted ventilation, controlled ventilation and jet ventilation. Rigid bronchoscopy is used to relieve respiratory symptoms due to airway obstruction by dilation for a tracheal stenosis or the mechanical debulking of endoluminal tumours, and supporting the airway by the placement of an endoluminal stent. Two types of stents are currently in use: silicone stents and metal stents with different lengths, diameters and shape configurations. They can significantly improve patients symptoms and their quality of life. Therapeutic rigid bronchoscopy, performed in appropriately selected patients and by skilled operators is effective and has a low morbidity rate.

Early Surgical Management of Thermal Airway Injury: A Case Series

Inhalation injury is an independent risk factor in burn mortality, imparting a 20% increased risk of death. Yet there is little information on the natural history, functional outcome, or pathophysiology of thermal injury to the laryngotracheal complex, limiting treatment progress. This paper demonstrates a case series (n = 3) of significant thermal airway injuries. In all cases, the initial injury was far exceeded by the subsequent immune response and aggressive fibroinflammatory healing. Serial examination demonstrated progressive epithelial injury, mucosal inflammation, airway remodeling, and luminal compromise. Histologic findings in the first case demonstrate an early IL-17A response in the human airway following thermal injury. This is the first report implicating IL-17A in the airway mucosal immune response to thermal injury. Their second and third patients received Azithromycin targeting IL-17A and showed clinical responses. The third patient also presented with exposed tracheal cartilage and underwent mucosal reconstitution via split-thickness skin graft over an endoluminal stent in conjunction with tracheostomy. This was associated with rapid abatement of mucosal inflammation, resolution of granulation tissue, and return of laryngeal function. Patients who present with thermal inhalation injury should receive a thorough multidisciplinary airway evaluation, including early otolaryngologic evaluation. New early endoscopic approaches (scar lysis and mucosal reconstitution with autologous grafting over an endoluminal stent), when combined with targeted medical therapy aimed at components of mucosal airway inflammation (local corticosteroids and systemic Azithromycin targeting IL-17A), may have potential to limit chronic cicatricial complications.