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Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, vol.27, no.9, pp.783-787, 2008 (SCI-Expanded)
Background: In this study, our aim was to determine the clinical and bronchoscopic outcome of the endobronchial tuberculosis (ETB). Methods: Patients with suspected tuberculosis (TB) or TB patients with an inadequate response to 8 weeks of antituberculosis treatment were enrolled in the study. Results: Seventy patients were included to the study and 118 flexible bronchoscopies were performed. ETB was present in 33 (47%) patients. There was isolated compression in 14 cases, caseous lesions in 13, granuloma formation in 6, polypoid lesions in 2, adenopathy protrusion in 1, and mucosal erosion in 1 case. The mean duration of bronchoscopic resolution of endobronchial lesions was 5.50 ± 2.74 months. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from gastric lavage in 10% and from bronchoalveolar lavage in 12.8% of 70 cases. When both of the procedures were performed concurrently, the isolation rate increased to 20%. Transient hypoxia resolving with nasal O2 was observed in 3 patients as a complication of bronchoscopy. Conclusions: Bronchoscopy offered a safe and rapid means of confirming the diagnosis of ETB. Copyright © 2008 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.