ROLE OF FIBEROPTIC BRONCHOSCOPY IN DIAGNOSIS OF SMEAR-NEGATIVE PTB

• Published in: Journal of evolution of medical and dental sciences Vol. 7; no. 28; pp. 3178 - 3182
• Main Authors: Bharat, Chukka, Kola, Kondala Rao, Nandyala, Ram Prasad Reddy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Akshantala Enterprises Private Limited 09.07.2018
• Subjects: Bronchoscopy; Diagnosis; Pulmonary tuberculosis; India
• ISSN: 2278-4748; 2278-4802
• DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2018/715

BACKGROUND The most common method for diagnosing TB worldwide remains sputum smear microscopy. Sputum smears do not reveal acidfast bacilli (AFB) in all patients. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) can provide alternative respiratory specimens for diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS A hospital-based cross-sectional observational study was conducted. Patients having cough with expectoration for more than two weeks with clinical and radiological evidence of PTB along with sputum smear for AFB, tested negative between October 2014 and July 2016 were taken for study. FOB will be performed in all those individuals and the collected specimens will be examined for AFB under the microscope. Statistical analysis was performed by using Microsoft Excel-2007 and IBM SPSS software version 20.0. RESULTS Bronchoscopy was performed on 51 cases of clinical and radiological suspects of PTB. Most of the study participants were males (67%). Mean age group was 47.3 [+ or -] 18.01. In between 21 and 60 years age, 38 patients were present. Cough was the most common presenting symptom with 93.5% of the patients followed by breathlessness, fever, chest pain and haemoptysis. 17 patients had positive post bronchoscopy AFB among 51; 3 patients were diagnosed as PTB based on their clinical and radiological features. Bronchoscopy-guided biopsy confirmed 4 malignancies and 1 benign polyp. Bronchial washings cytology diagnosed 1 adenocarcinoma. CT-guided FNAC/ biopsy confirmed diagnosis in 6 patients, 5 malignancies and 1 lung abscess. CONCLUSION Bronchoscopy is a useful tool in early diagnosis of smear negative PTB. It will help in preventing under-diagnosis as well as overdiagnosis of the disease. KEY WORDS Bronchoscopy, TB, Smear Negative.