Airway obstruction caused by large blood vessel anomalies: assessment by flexible bronchoscopy

To evaluate the diagnostic value and safety of flexible bronchoscopy in congenital great vessel diseases complicated with airway compression. The medical records of patients with great vessels abnormalities who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from October 2005 to June 2009 were retrospectively reviewed; 34 cases were diagnosed as airway compression by flexible bronchoscopy, 10 cases as vascular ring, 24 cases as aortal arch obstruction. The age of the patients was 6 d - 11 m, body weight 2.2 - 8.7 kg [(4.6 +/- 1.4) kg]. Recorded airway abnormalities detected by bronchoscopy and CT, cardiac vascular defects and airway compression were consistent with the findings on operation. The relation between the airway compression and cardiac vascular abnormalities, treatment of the airway compression and outcome were analysed. Bronchoscopic assessment was successfully performed in NICU or operating room for all the patients. (1) Initial presentation of the 34 cases were tachypnea, stridor, refra