Abstract:

Objective To investigate the optimal time of balloon dilatation for tuberculous tracheal stenosis by comparing the effects and complications in different pathological stages.Methods A total of 62 patients with left main bronchial stenosis because of the tuberculosis (stenosis degree ≥50%) were collected from Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. The patients were divided into two groups through the different pathological stages. 32 cases in group A, which showed recovery period under bronchoscope; 30 cases in group B, which showed scar stage under bronchoscope, balloon dilatation was performed in both groups, and the treatment effects and complications of the two groups were observed.Results The immediate effective rate of balloon dilatation in group A was 93.8% (30/32) and the average times of balloon dilatation were (3.0±0.6). The immediate effective rate was 73.3% (22/30) in group B and the average times were (6.0±1.6). The differences were statistically significant (χ ²=4.77, P=0.03; t=9.89, P=0.01). The 6-month restenosis rate in group A (10.0% (3/30)) was lower than that in group B (27.3% (6/22)), the difference was statistically significant (χ ²=4.21, P=0.04). The incidence of minor hemorrhage, granulation hyperplasia and chest pain after balloon dilatation surgery in group A and B was 59.4% (19/32) and 50.0% (15/30), 31.3% (10/32) and 33.3% (10/30), 21.9% (7/32) and 26.7% (8/30), respectively. The difference was not statistically significant (χ ² were 0.55, 0.03 and 0.19, respectively; P values were 0.46, 0.42 and 0.66, respectively).Conclusion The optimal time of balloon dilatation for tuberculous tracheal stenosis was the recovery period after acute inflammation subsidence in the stenosis area rather than the scar stage.

Key words: Tuberculosis, Tracheal stenosis, Balloon dilation, Optimal time