A simple method of selective bronchography

The value of bronchography in the diagnosis of pulmonary diseases, especially of bronchial diseases, is well known and bronchography is an essential procedure for evaluation of bronchial diseases. And, by visualization of a selected bronchial tree, lobar or segmental, we can obtain roentgenograms of superior quality and of higher diagnostic accuracy. In addition, the procedure can be carried out safely in patients with low respiratory reserve and samples for pathology and bacteriology can be obtained. And there is another therapeutic possibility of introducing drugs intrabronchially through the catheter. Authors introduce a simple new technique of selective bronchography which is a combination of transglottic intubation and Seldinger method. The technique is summarized as follows, 1. Anesthetize oral cavity, pharynx and larynx with 2% lidocaine. 2. Under fluoroscopic control, Nelaton catheter is introduced over a wire mandarin, as authors previously reported. 3. After removal of wire mandarin, angiographic guide wire is inserted through the catheter into the trachea. 4. Then, the Nelaton catheter is withdrawn and is changed with preshaped angiographic catheter, just as in introduction of catheter in arteriography. We carried out 18 cases of selective bronchography with this technique and selection of lobar, segmental and subsegmental bronchi was carried out without difficulty