Endoscopic management of acute respiratory failure related to tracheobronchial malignancies.

Endobronchial treatment has an expanding role in the treatment of tracheobronchial tumors. Most patients are treated in this way for the palliation of dyspnea caused by a tumor located in a major airway. In cases where immediate relief is required, prompt control is better achieved by the neodymium-YAG laser or by stents. These two modalities and their indications and limitations in the endoscopic management of acute respiratory failure related to tracheobronchial malignancies are discussed.