[tri-med] Re: quest. Re: bedside flexible bronchoscope

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barbara Farlow"
> Quick quest please.
> Did anyone's child ever have a bedside flexible bronchoscope done on their 
> child (no general anesthetic)

Yes - the first we had done under a GA but our ENT did a second "quicky" in 
his rooms without a GA one time.

> Is it possible to assess the airway below the glottis without general 
> anesthetic?

Its definitely possible - they prefer the patient to be co-operative though. 
(Alex wasn't believe me) In adults they often do it under "conscious" 
sedation eg Versed (Midazolam) or just heavy sedation instead of a GA. The 
co-operative bit is that they have to swallow the scope when asked.

Alex was about 18 months old, very non co-operative, and I just held him in 
my arms - he had nothing except the numbing spray. He definitely didn't get 
as good a look as with the GA but he saw what he wanted to see and I got to 
see it too.

The reason for the "quicky" in Alex was to check the back of his throat in 
relation to the submucosal cleft palate after the surgery and to do a check 
on the artery that was impinging on his airway further down (definitely well 
below the glottis). He already knew about the malacia and the artery from 
the earlier one under GA but he needed to check the status after the surgery 
and I got to see it all with the second one as well.

Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.
                                            -- Josh Billings

Keep Looking For Rainbows!!
   _--_|\
 /Karen \
 \ _.--._ /
          v Karen, Mum to Alex (12 years, T-18 Mosaic)
http://members.optushome.com.au/karens

                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

Other related posts: