Journals / Anatolian Current Medical Journal / 2026 / Volume: 8 Issue: 1

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the intensive care unit: indications, complications, and bronchoscopic culture results

Yoğun bakım ünitesinde fiberoptik bronkoskopi: endikasyonlar, komplikasyonlar ve bronkoskopik kültür sonuçları

Maşide Arı(SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ, ANKARA ATATÜRK GÖĞÜS HASTALIKLARI VE GÖĞÜS CERRAHİSİ SAĞLIK UYGULAMA VE ARAŞTIRMA MERKEZİ)0000-0002-5078-3176
Murat Yıldız(Department of Pulmonology, Ankara Ataturk Sanatorium Training and Research Hospital)0000-0002-9625-9994
Tarkan Özdemir(Department of Pulmonology, Konya Farabi Hospital)0009-0005-8718-5208
Deniz Çelik(Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Medicine, Alanya Alaaddin Key Kubat University, Education and Research Hospital)0000-0003-4634-205X
Oral Menteş(Intensive Care Unit, Ankara Gulhane Training and Research Hospital, 06010 Ankara, Turkey)0000-0003-3599-2719
Eray Çınar(Department of Thoracic Surgery, Bilkent City Hospital)0000-0002-4564-6097
Eren Usul(Department of Emergency Medicine, Etlik City Hospital)0000-0003-3980-6768
Hasan İbiş(Department of Pulmonology, Ankara Ataturk Sanatorium Training and Research Hospital)0000-0001-5580-4741
Ömer Faruk Tüten(Department of Pulmonology, Ankara University Health Practise and Research Hospitals)0009-0001-5908-4670
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-01-06
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

However, these findings need to be supported by large-scale studies.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Aims: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB), although generally considered safe, can lead to significant complications, particularly in critically ill patients.
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Key Findings & Data:Methods: FOBs performed in the respiratory ICU between December 2021 and July 2024 were evaluated.
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Conclusion & Impact:However, these findings need to be supported by large-scale studies.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:2021 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Fiberoptic bronchoscopy · complications: culture · intensive care unit

Abstract

Aims: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB), although generally considered safe, can lead to significant complications, particularly in critically ill patients. This study aimed to evaluate the indications, complications, and bronchoscopic culture results of FOB in patients monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: FOBs performed in the respiratory ICU between December 2021 and July 2024 were evaluated. The indications for FOB, complication rates, and bronchoscopic culture results were analyzed. The relationship between culture growth and inflammatory markers was also assessed. Results: In this study, a total of 454 FOB procedures were performed on 234 patients hospitalized in the ICU. The most common indication for FOB was secretion clearance, accounting for 41.9% of cases. The most frequent procedure-related complications were transient hypoxemia (9%) and minor bleeding (7%). The growth rate in bronchoscopic cultures was determined as 53.2%, while Acinetobacter spp. (11.2%), Pseudomonas spp. (7.3%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.6%) were detected as resistant bacteria. Additionally, a weak but statistically significant correlation was found between CRP levels and bronchoscopic culture growth (p=0.040). Conclusion: FOB is a safely applicable and valuable diagnostic tool in infection management in the ICU. Bronchoscopic cultures can guide targeted antibiotic therapy. However, these findings need to be supported by large-scale studies.

Özet

Amaç: Fiberoptik bronkoskopi (FOB), genellikle güvenli kabul edilmekle birlikte, özellikle kritik hastalarda anlamlı komplikasyonlara yol açabilmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, yoğun bakım ünitesinde (YBÜ) izlenen hastalarda FOB endikasyonlarını, komplikasyonlarını ve bronkoskopik kültür sonuçlarını değerlendirmektir. Yöntemler: Aralık 2021 ile Temmuz 2024 tarihleri arasında solunum yoğun bakım ünitesinde gerçekleştirilen FOB işlemleri retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. FOB endikasyonları, komplikasyon oranları ve bronkoskopik kültür sonuçları analiz edildi. Ayrıca kültür üremesi ile inflamatuvar belirteçler arasındaki ilişki incelendi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya, YBÜ’de yatan 234 hastada gerçekleştirilen toplam 454 FOB işlemi dahil edildi. FOB’un en sık endikasyonu sekresyon temizliği olup, olguların %41,9’unu oluşturdu. İşleme bağlı en sık komplikasyonlar geçici hipoksemi (%9) ve minör kanama (%7) olarak saptandı. Bronkoskopik kültürlerde üreme oranı %53,2 bulundu. Dirençli bakteriler arasında Acinetobacter spp. (%11,2), Pseudomonas spp. (%7,3) ve Klebsiella pneumoniae (%12,6) tespit edildi. Ayrıca CRP düzeyleri ile bronkoskopik kültür üremesi arasında zayıf ancak istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir korelasyon saptandı (p=0,040). Sonuç: FOB, yoğun bakım ünitesinde güvenle uygulanabilen ve enfeksiyon yönetiminde değerli bir tanı yöntemidir. Bronkoskopik kültürler, hedefe yönelik antibiyotik tedavisini yönlendirebilir. Bununla birlikte, elde edilen bulguların geniş ölçekli çalışmalarla desteklenmesi gerekmektedir.

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Cite This Article

Arı, M., Yıldız, M., Özdemir, T., Çelik, D., Menteş, O., Çınar, E., Usul, E., İbiş, H., Tüten, Ö. F. (2026). Fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the intensive care unit: indications, complications, and bronchoscopic culture results. Anatolian Current Medical Journal, Volume: 8 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1778997

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