[Bronchoscopy in intensive care units].

The authors report their 1535 urgent bronchoscopic examinations performed between 1998-2002. The examinations/interventions were requested mostly by surgical and internal medicine intensive care units. The main indications were: postoperative excretion removal, stump control, suspicion of fistula, foreign body, injury of a large bronchus, tracheal stenosis, specimen taking and bronchoscopic local drug treatment. The authors mention the most important contraindications for urgent bronchofiberscopy too: missing written consent of the patient (except the cases of unconsciousness), size discrepancy between the tool and tracheal lumen, and asthmatic attack. The authors also underline the emerging importance of both diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy performed on emergency wards and intensive care units. They conclude: it's necessary for the anesthetists to get a basic level ability to work with bronchofiberscope and for pulmonologist-bronchologists to be experienced to answer the questions of other specialists.