Fiberoptic bronchoscopic Nd-YAG laser therapy in obstructive airway diseases.

BACKGROUND: This study reports the results of Neodymium-Yttrium-Aluminum Garnet (Nd-YAG) laser resection on benign and malignant obstructing airway diseases which has been done in our hospital for four years. The effect of this treatment on patients' arterial blood gases, during and after the process is also analyzed. The benefit of adjuvant therapy with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy after laser vaporization is discussed.

METHODS: Fiberoptic bronchoscopic Nd-YAG laser therapy was performed in 32 cases of lung cancer (primary 27, secondary 5) and 11 cases of benign tracheobronchial diseases with total or near total airway obstruction. The therapy was performed through the oral route under local anesthesia. The result of therapy was classified as "excellent", "fair" or "poor" depending upon the degree of recanalization and clinical improvement. A cannula was inserted into the radial artery in lung cancer patients before the procedure. Samples of blood to determine arterial blood gas levels were drawn before, during and after treatment. After bronchoscopic laser therapy, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy were given to the patients of lung cancer.

RESULTS: The effective rate (excellent and fair) was 75% in lung cancer and 81.8% in benign airway obstruction. In the lung cancer group, significant decline of PaO2 was noted during and after Nd-YAG laser therapy. Decrease of PaO2 was not recovered even 5 hours after laser vaporization. After bronchoscopic Nd-YAG laser therapy, 21 of 32 lung cancer patients received radiotherapy (at least 3000 rads) and/or chemotherapy (at least 3 times). The median survival time was 5.5 months. The other 11 patients received laser therapy only, with median survival time was 2.9 months (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Endobronchial Nd-YAG laser therapy of obstructing lesions has been proved to be effective and relatively safe in well-trained hands. Oxygen supplementation was suggested in patients with hypoxemia before laser therapy. After endobronchial Nd-YAG laser therapy, better survival and life quality result if radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy are added for the lung cancer group.