[Laser therapy of bronchial carcinoma].

Endobronchial laser-therapy is reviewed in perspective to other palliating modalities such as radio- and chemotherapy. Laser treatment is most suited for exophytic tumors of the trachea and larger bronchi. Favorable for reventilation of atelectases are: short duration of luminal obstruction patent peripheral bronchi as evidenced by computed tomography, exophytic growth in the main or intermediary bronchus. The intervention can be performed using either fiber optics or the rigid bronchoscope in one or more sessions. For processes in the trachea or the main bronchi the method of choice is a single treatment using the rigid instrument.