The Heat Is On

Study objectives: Advances in bronchoscopic electrosurgery have allowed its application in the outpatient setting in patients who otherwise would have required Nd-YAG laser photoresection (LPR) in the operating room. We intended to evaluate the impact of endobronchial electrosurgery (EBES) on the need for Nd-YAG LPR on patients with symptomatic airway lesions. Design: Prospective observational case series. Participants: One hundred eighteen evaluations for LPR were performed. Forty-seven evaluations (40%) were considered to be amendable to EBES and were treated during the initial bronchoscopy. The remaining patients underwent LPR. Setting: Outpatient bronchoscopy suite at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH. Results: Of the 47 procedures, 42 (89%) were successful in alleviating the obstruction, thus eliminating the need for LPR. No major complications were encountered. Conclusion: EBES can be performed safely in the outpatient setting and is an effective procedure in treating select endobronchial lesions. EBES eliminated the need for LPR in 36% of such procedures with a potential for significant time and cost savings.