[The role of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the detection of bronchopulmonary carcinoma].

Abstract

The results of 578 bronchoscopy findings are presented in two periods of time differing in the method of performing the bronchologic procedure. The first period refers to the time from 1977-1979 when the rigid bronchoscope was applied while the second period was from 1980-1982 when the routine method of fiberbronchoscopy was introduced. During 1977-1979 78.6% of the bronchopulmonary carcinoma were verified, while during 1980-1982 the percentage was increased to 81.6%. The relation between verified central and periphery bronchopulmonary carcinoma performed by rigid bronchoscope was 3.5:1, while by fiberbronchoscopy this proportion significantly increased to 1.6:1. This result indicates the dominant role of fiberbronchoscopy in the detection of periphery bronchopulmonary carcinoma.