FLEXIBLE FIBEROPTIC ENDOSCOPY IN CHILDREN WITH UPPER AIRWAY-OBSTRUCTION

Objective: Assessment of efficacy and safety of flexible fiberoptic en doscopy in children with upper airway obstruction. Methods: We perform ed flexible fiberoptic endoscopies in 86 patients (60 male, 26 female; age 5 days-12.3 years) with upper airway obstruction under sedation a nd topical anesthesia. Results: Common indications were strider (54 x) , recurrent croup (12 x), sleep related upper airway obstruction (10 x ) and hoarseness with or without strider (8 x). Laryngomalacia (36 x), subglottic stenosis (13 x), pharyngeal collapse (8 x), vocal cord par alysis (5 x), and subglottic hemangioma (5 x) were most frequently dia gnosed, Findings were normal in six cases. Minor complications occurre d in five (5.8 %) of the investigations; all were rapidly reversible. Conclusion: Flexible fiberoptic endoscopy is a safe and valuable diagn ostic tool for the investigation of children with upper airway obstruc tion. Endoscopic findings serve as the basis of early and accurate the rapeutic intervention.