Indications and Complications of Flexible Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy in Children: A 5-Year Experience at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Iran

Background: Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) is known as an important diagnostic and therapeutic modality in the evaluation of respiratory disorders in pediatric population. Objectives: The study aims to highlight common indications and risk of complications associated with bronchoscopy in our population. Methods: This retrospective evaluation was performed in all patients that underwent flexible bronchoscopy at Children’s Medical Center (affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences) between April 2011 and September 2016. Results: Of 800 bronchoscopies, 574 (71.7%) were performed for diagnostic and 226 (28.2%) for therapeutic purposes. Major indications included radiographic abnormalities (30%), a foreign body or suspected foreign body (28.5% of all FFBs) and stridor or wheezing (25% of all FBB). The incidence of major complications associated with FFBs was 0.87%. The most frequent complication was pneumothorax, followed by lung hemorrhage, and respiratory failure. Conclusions: Our findings support early intervention and utilization of bronchoscopy in the pediatric population with variable respiratory complaints.