FLEXIBLE FIBEROPTIC BRONCHOSCOPY IN THE ELDERLY

The safety of fiberoptic bronchoscopy was studied in a group of 100 hospital patients 65 yr of age or older who underwent bronchoscopy on 180 occasions. Premedication and the local administration of lidocaine were well tolerated. Inspection and lavage resulted in the least morbidity. Of the 180 procedures, tachy- or brady-arrhythmias were observed in 4.4% and postoperative fever in 5.5%. The most significant finding was the high incidence of bleeding, which occurred in 18 of 88 biopsies, an incidence of 20.5%. One death was due to major hemorrhage following transbronchial biopsy while the patient was given mechanical ventilation. Continuous O2 therapy and ECG monitoring are recommended during the procedure and, in selected cases, during the postoperative period.