Severe Complications of Bronchoscopy

Background: Interventional bronchoscopy is widely used for the diagnosis and therapy of many lung and airway diseases. Concern has been raised about its complications. Objective: To review the severe complications associated with bronchoscopy. Methods: A retrospective review of clinical records of 23,862 patients who underwent bronchoscopic examination or therapy from December 1983 to December 2004 in our department. Severe complications associated with bronchoscopic examination or therapy were analyzed. Results: During the study period, among 23,862 cases, 152 cases experienced severe complications; 3 cases died; the rate of severe complications was 0.637%; mortality rate was 0.013%. The complications included laryngeal, tracheal and bronchial spasm in 68 cases, hematorrhea in 37 cases, arrhythmia in 19 cases, airway obstruction in 8 cases, esophagotracheal fistula in 5 cases, pneumothorax in 4 cases, tracheal perforation in 3 cases, death in 3 cases. Conclusions: Bronchoscopy is a safe procedure. The increased rate of severe complications and death associated with bronchoscopy may be ascribed to the increasingly wide use of bronchoscopy.