Anaesthesia and peri-interventional morbidity of rigid bronchoscopy: A retrospective analysis

Background
Rigid bronchoscopy is an invasive procedure that requires general anaesthesia with different ventilation strategies. Various mechanical and systemic complications can arise from the procedure and anaesthetic technique employed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the two common anaesthetic techniques and the peri-interventional morbidity of rigid bronchoscopy.
Methods
We retrospectively analysed all the rigid bronchoscopies conducted in Singapore General Hospital between 1999 and 2014. Patient characteristics, type of procedures, type of anaesthesia, duration of procedure, ventilation strategies, various intra-operative medications, pre-operative and post-operative arterial blood gas, oxygen saturation and pulmonary function test, and peri-interventional complications were collected. Continuous data were reported as mean and categorical data were reported as percentages.
Results
Majority of patients that underwent rigid bronchoscopy received total intravenous anaesthesia (81%). A significantly higher proportion of patients in the volatile groups were scheduled for biopsy (29.4%) using rigid bronchoscopy. Choice of ventilation strategies were largely similar in both groups. A higher complication rate of hypertension (11.8%), acute myocardial infarction (11.8%) and pneumothorax (17.6%) was seen in the volatile group.
Conclusion
The choice of anaesthetic technique possibly affects the complication of patients undergoing rigid bronchoscopy. Volatile anaesthetics appeared to be driven by presumably shorter procedure, but was associated with higher systemic complication.