Nasolaryngoscopy or laryngotracheoscopy: which is the best exam for assessing the airways of children?

Revista Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia

Tah Yen Ng, Ronny¹  Carvalho, Daniela¹  UCSD, USA¹  Gusmão, Reinaldo Jordão¹  Lehoczki, Clarissa Luciana Buono¹  UNICAMP¹ 

关键词: endoscopy;    laryngotracheoscopy;    nasolaryngoscopy.;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0034-72992006000400009

学科分类：医学（综合）

来源: Associacao Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cervicofacial

【 摘 要 】

It is not uncommon to find children with respiratory distress. In these cases airway endoscopy is usually required. Doubts about which examination should be used are frequent. AIM: to establish which examination is the best to assess the airways of children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: a retrospective study assessing 16 children with a history of respiratory distress at the Children Airway Unit of the Pediatric Otolaryngology Department at UNICAMP. All patients underwent nasolaryngoscopy and laryngotracheoscopy between March 2001 and March 2004. Data was analyzed and compared. RESULTS: during this study 16 children were assessed; the most frequent indication of exams were: evaluation of prolonged tracheostomy in 10 patients (62%), and subglottic stenosis (31.3%). CONCLUSION: assessing airways in children with respiratory distress is essential for a diagnosis. In our study, we concluded that all children with upper airway disease must undergo nasolaryngoscopy, an easy, economic and useful exam that provides information about larynx function. However, if subglottic or traqueal disease issuspected, or if nasolaryngoscopy findings are in conflict with the physical examination, laryngotracheoscopy should be undertaken.

【 授权许可】

Unknown