USE OF TRACHEOBRONCHOGRAPHY AS A DIAGNOSTIC-TOOL IN VENTILATOR-DEPENDENT INFANTS

Objective: Comparison of investigations of the airway in ventilator de pendent infants. Design: Consecutive infants with suspected upper airw ay eb normalities were investigated using rigid bronchoscopy and trach eobronchography. Setting: Tertiary pediatric and neonatal intensive ca re units. Patients: Eight infants with suspected airway abnormalities. Interventions: Rigid bronchoscopy and tracheo bronchography. Measurem ents and Main Results: Structural abnormalities, seg mental narrowing of the airways and the effect of various levels of positive-end expira tory pressures on the narrowings were documented, In six of the eight cases, additional airway abnormalities were diagnosed with tracheobron chography compared with rigid bronchoscopy. Conclusions: In cases of s uspected abnormalities of the upper airway in small infants unable to be weaned from ventilatory sup port, tracheobronchography may be a mor e reliable investigation method than rigid bronchoscopy, The ability t o assess the structural and dynamic components of the airway accuratel y and safely allows a correct and long term treatment plan to be estab lished in this group of patients.