Implications of Rigid Bronchoscopy: An Eight-Year Review in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Introduction Rigid bronchoscopy is an endoscopic technique used to visualize the airway, and rigid bronchoscopy is performed for both diagnostic and therapeutic indications. We defined the clinical characteristics of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients undergoing bronchoscopy to establish a predictive model for early discharge from the PICU. Prediction can provide tangible aid in managing PICU patients. Objective(s) The primary objectives of this research are to evaluate the impact of different bronchoscopic procedures on the duration of PICU stay and to determine the Predictors of PICU discharge. Methods We retrospectively reviewed records of 451 PICU admissions from 2012 to 2019 at our institution. In total, 36 pediatric patients under 12 years of age undergoing interventional rigid bronchoscopy during their PICU stay were studied. This study examined the impact of bronchoscopic procedures on the duration of PICU stays. Patients were categorized into three groups according to the number of bronchoscopic interventions used to evaluate the implications of different bronchoscopic procedures on the duration of PICU stay. Results Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test the predictors of PICU discharge. Tracheostomy and gender were significant predictors (p = 0.072 and 0.060, respectively), but first bronchoscopy showed strong significance (p = 0.002). Conclusion (s) Our findings have shown that early bronchoscopic interventions assisted in early critical care unit discharge, and most patients who did not benefit from the first bronchoscopy were complicated cases that could explain the long stay in the PICU.