The changing face of the paediatric microlaryngobronchoscopy (MLB): A two year prospective study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Changes in the management and survival of paediatric patients with airway complaints combined with improving survival rates of premature babies have resulted in a different patient population for the paediatric airway surgeon than that previously described in the literature.

OBJECTIVES:

To examine the presentation, diagnosis, clinical course and outcomes for patients undergoing microlaryngobronchoscopy (MLB).

STUDY DESIGN:

2 year prospective longitudinal study.

STUDY POPULATION:

210 microlaryngobronchoscopy examinations were performed on a total of 102 patients. Mean age at initial examination was 29.4 months with a male preponderance (68%).

RESULTS:

72 (71%) patients had other documented medical co-morbidities with 30 children having no previous medical history. Of the 102 patients the primary diagnoses were: Subglottic Stenosis (29.4%), Laryngomalacia (20.6%), Laryngeal Cleft (16.7%), Normal Anatomy (11.8%) and Vocal Cord pathology (5.9%). The average rate of diagnoses per patient for the whole cohort was 1.57. Of those patients with a diagnosis on examination, 40 had a solitary diagnosis whilst 50 patients (55.5%) were found to have multiple diagnoses, equating to 2.35 diagnoses per patient. Children with a history of prematurity accounted for 18.6% of our cohort with a 100% rate of laryngo-tracheal pathology on examination and an average number of diagnoses per child of 2.21.

CONCLUSION:

Our cohort illustrates the varied population served by today's paediatric airway surgeon alongside common diagnoses and co-pathologies affecting our patients.

• Authors: Brandon Cadd, Seema Yalamanchili, Jagdeep Singh Virk, Yogesh Bajaj
• Journal: International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology (Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol) Vol. 79 Issue 7 Pg. 1111-4 (Jul 2015) ISSN: 1872-8464 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 25980686 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Bronchoscopy
• Child
• Female
• Humans
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Infant, Premature
• Infant, Premature, Diseases (diagnosis)
• Laryngeal Diseases (diagnosis)
• Laryngoscopy
• Longitudinal Studies
• Male
• Prospective Studies