A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF BRONCHOSCOPY FOR ENDOTRACHEOBRONCHIAL TUBERCULOSIS

To clarify the role of bronchoscopy for endotracheobronchial tuberculo sis (EBTB), we performed a prospective study in 45 patients with activ e pulmonary tuberculosis, in 15 (33%) of whom bronchoscopic findings r elated to EBTB were seen. The findings were classified into six types: edematous hyperemic, submucosal nodule, ulcerative (shallow and deep) , polypoid, cicatrical, and compression type. Each of these types was related to the healing process and outcome after antituberculosis chem otherapy. Serial bronchoscopy revealed that lesions less advanced than the deep ulcerative type responded to chemotherapy; the deep ulcerati ve and polypoid types progressed to cicatrical bronchostenosis despite chemotherapy. In the follow-up of patients with lesions of the deep u lcerative and polypoid types, serial bronchoscopy after chemotherapy i s recommended; these patients also require adjunctive therapy to preve nt cicatrical bronchostenosis.