Role of Therapeutic Bronchoscopy in Comparison to Standards of Care in Critically Ill Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure

Abstract

cute respiratory failure (ARF) is a sudden failure of oxygenation, carbon dioxide clearance or both, Hypoxic ARF is most commonly caused by pneumonia, cardiogenic or non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema, or pulmonary haemorrhage, while the underlying causes of hypercapnic ARF include drug overdose, neuromuscular disease, chest wall abnormalities and severe obstructive airway disorders ETS indicated for maintaining patency and integrity of artificial airway by removal of accumulated pulmonary secretions also obtaining sputum specimen for further investigation. No absolute contraindications to ETS, care should be taken if patients have bradycardia or hypoxia. Complications to ETS may include hypoxia atelectasis bronchospasm hypotension hypertension or cardiac dysrhythmias. There are two types of ETS based on selection of catheter: open suctioning technique which requires patient disconnection from ventilator and closed suctioning technique which allows passage of a suction catheter through the artificial air way without disconnecting the patient from ventilator. The two types were included in our study.