NCCP-ICS joint consensus-based clinical practice guidelines on medical thoracoscopy.

ABSTRACT: Medical Thoracoscopy (MT) is commonly performed by respiratory physicians for diagnostic as well as therapeutic purposes. The aim of the study was to provide evidence-based information regarding all aspects of MT, both as a diagnostic tool and therapeutic aid for pulmonologists across India. The consensus-based guidelines were formulated based on a multistep process using a set of 31 questions. A systematic search of published randomized controlled clinical trials, open labelled studies, case reports and guidelines from electronic databases, like PubMed, EmBase and Cochrane, was performed. The modified grade system was used (1, 2, 3 or usual practice point) to classify the quality of available evidence. Then, a multitude of factors were taken into account, such as volume of evidence, applicability and practicality for implementation to the target population and then strength of recommendation was finalized. MT helps to improve diagnosis and patient management, with reduced risk of post procedure complications. Trainees should perform at least 20 medical thoracoscopy procedures. The diagnostic yield of both rigid and semirigid techniques is comparable. Sterile-graded talc is the ideal agent for chemical pleurodesis. The consensus statement will help pulmonologists to adopt best evidence-based practices during MT for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Bronchoscopic management of benign bronchial stenosis by electrocautery and balloon dilatation.

Benign bronchial stenosis is managed by surgical or bronchoscopic methods. Although surgical approach is definitive, it is technically demanding and is costlier than bronchoscopic treatment. Here, we report the case of a 27-year-old female patient with symptomatic benign bronchial stenosis of the left main bronchus. The stenosis was dilated successfully through a fibreoptic bronchoscope by electrocautery followed by balloon bronchoplasty and application of mitomycin-C. On follow up, there was no evidence of re-stenosis.

Lung transplantation for post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis.

COVID-19 has affected over a billion people around the world, with over 2 million losing their lives (Worldometer). About 10% of patients infected with COVID-19 develop a serious illness, including respiratory failure, that require advanced life-supporting measures. Mortality among this subgroup exceeds 60%. We present a case of an otherwise healthy 34-year-old male who developed end-stage pulmonary fibrosis following COVID-19 infection. He achieved haemodynamic stability with mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) but did not show any sign of weaning off ECMO; however, he successfully underwent bilateral lung transplantation.

Endobronchial Ultrasound-Radial Probe-Assisted Cryobiopsy for Peripheral Lung Mass: A New Way for Better Yield?

Solitary pulmonary nodules pose a diagnostic challenge as traditional techniques like bronchoscopic transbronchial biopsies or percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsies suffer either from poor yield or unacceptable complications. The advent of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-radial probe (RP) has helped to guide the operator to the lesion more accurately and thereby improve yield. Small biopsy forceps or cytology brushes can be passed through the guide sheath of the EBUS-RP, after removing the probe, to get specimens. However, a small specimen may sometimes prove inadequate for special molecular studies or genetic analysis. Recently, there have been feasibility reports of transbronchial cryobiopsies that can be safely performed with larger biopsy specimens. We report a case of solitary pulmonary nodules where EBUS-RP was used to guide a cryoprobe to get large transbronchial cryobiopsies successfully.

Foreign body in the lung following dental procedure.

This is an interesting case report of a foreign body (FB) aspiration in an adult patient. The FB in question was a dental drill, which accidentally went into the airways during a dental procedure. The extraction was technically difficult due to the peripheral location and thin and sharp tip of the FB. The extraction of this FB required a unique innovation through the rigid bronchoscope.

Endobronchial ultrasound: morphological predictors of benign disease.

The objective of this study was to assess the utility of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) morphology of lymph nodes in predicting benign cytology of transbronchial needle aspirates in a prospective observational study. Five ultrasonic morphological characteristics of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes were recorded: size, shape, margins, echogenic appearance and the presence of a central blood vessel. These characteristics were correlated with the final diagnosis. A total of 402 consecutive patients (237 males and 165 females) undergoing EBUS were studied. The final diagnosis was malignant disease in 244 (60.6%) and benign disease in 153 (38.05%) subjects. Out of 740 sampled nodes, in 463 (62.6%) malignant cells were identified, whereas in 270 (36.5%) nodes, no malignant cells were identified. On univariate analysis small size, triangular shape and the presence of a central vessel were predictive of a benign aetiology. In the final multivariate model, a predictive probability of 0.811 (95% CI 0.72-0.91) for benign disease was found if lymph node size was <10 mm and a central vessel was present. Sonographic appearances of lymph nodes improve the predictive probability of EBUS for benign aetiologies, and may reduce the number of nodes requiring sampling and the need for further invasive investigations.

Diagnosis of pulmonary embolism by endobronchial ultrasound.

This is a case report of a young 20-year-old male who was referred for an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) procedure to investigate a fever and a left hilar lymph node and patchy pleural-based opacities seen on CT of the chest. During the EBUS procedure besides the left hilar node, a large thrombus was noticed in the main pulmonary artery and another one in the right pulmonary artery. EBUS proved invaluable in making a diagnosis in an unsuspected case of pulmonary embolism.

Extraction of tracheobronchial foreign bodies in children and adults with rigid and flexible bronchoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Tracheobronchial foreign bodies (TBFBs) due to accidental aspiration are seen in both children and adults and are usually extracted by flexible bronchoscopy (FB) or rigid bronchoscopy (RB). The experience over a decade of treating 214 patients with TBFBs has been analyzed retrospectively. METHODS: The records of all patients who presented with possible TBFB aspiration since 2001 were analyzed. A clinical profile of these patients was compiled. The method of extraction and its success was noted. Asphyxiating TBFBs were extracted straight away by RB, whereas for nonasphyxiating TBFBs, extraction was first attempted with FB and RB used only if the former failed. The success of the 2 procedures was compared. RESULTS: : Of a total of 266 patients in whom TBFBs were suspected, the diagnosis was confirmed by bronchoscopy in 214. TBFBs were more common in males, and in the age group between 1 and 2 years. Successful extraction could be achieved in 40% of the patients with FB and in 95% with RB where it was required. CONCLUSIONS: From our experience of extraction of TBFBs over more than a decade, we have drawn the following conclusions: (1) TBFBs present most frequently in the age group of 1 to 2 years, with cough and/or breathlessness commonly following a choking episode; (2) a high index of suspicion is essential and diagnostic FB should be performed in all such cases even though the chest radiograph is normal; (3) TBFBs can be life threatening and may require to be treated as an emergency; (4) FB may be used first for diagnosis and extraction under conscious sedation for nonasphyxiating TBFBs. It is usually more successful in adults and less so in children; (5) in these patients, if FB is unsuccessful, then RB may be used to extract the TBFB; (6) for asphyxiating TBFBs, RB is the procedure of choice; (7) pulmonologists who wish to practice extraction of TBFBs ought to be trained in both FB and RB and must possess adequate equipment and a skilled team to assist them.