Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer
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Bronchoscopic intervention in patients with malignant central airway obstruction provides initial palliation and stabilization of the airway, allowing the possibility of other effective therapeutic modalities, such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. In critically ill patients, however, the only studies of bronchoscopic intervention are relatively small series. ⋯ These data show that rigid bronchoscopic intervention in critically ill patients with malignant central airway obstruction may be temporarily life-saving and, in some patients, may serve as a "bridge" to allow time for additional therapies for longer survival.