Balloon Bronchoplasty Its Indications, Benefits, and Complications

Balloon bronchoplasty is a procedure central to practice of interventional bronchoscopy. It is easily used with both flexible and rigid bronchoscopy. It may used with fluoroscopic guidance over a guide wire or under direct vision. Balloon bronchoplasty is most commonly employed with high long term success for non-malignant causes of airway stenosis but it is also in malignant diseases. This technique is generally used in conjunction with other techniques (eg, electrocautery, stent deployment). The balloon should be silicone based and able to provide radial force. The inflation syringe must have a pressure gauge and knowledge of burst pressure must be observed. Complications are generally mucosal tears and minor bleeding but rupture of major airways and vascular structures have been reported.