Abstract
Bronchoscopy with non-flexible optic devices, together with bronchography, had been a major means of examining the airway of children, especially infants, until recently when flexible fiberscopes became available for clinical use, though intended chiefly for use in adults. Bronchoscopy with these flexible fiberscopes is being rendered feasible in infants but cannot as yet be said to be a routine procedure in pediatric practice, with few reports having been made on experiences with it. We manufactured a multipurpose fiberscope of direct vision type, 4 mm in outer diameter, in collaboration with Olympus Kogaku Co., Ltd. in 1972 and have used it in bronchoscopy in an increasing number of infants. Moreover, we have put such recently commercialized models as BF. 3C3, 3C3R, BF-B3 and B3R also into usage for the same diagnostic purpose. During a 7-year period from 1973 to 1980 broncofiberscopy was performed a total of 61 times in 45 caces with an age range of 2 months to 15 years. According to our experience, the flexible fiberscopes are not at all inferior to the conventional non-flexible instruments in diagnostic efficiency. With a further improvement of model and refinement of techniques, bronchofiberscopy is expected to become a routine procedure for pediatric patients as well as for adults.
