Abstract:

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of cryointerventional treatment under electronic bronchoscope for patients with bronchial tuberculosis. Methods: Patients with bronchial tuberculosis, who were treated in Sanya People’s Hospital from December 2016 to November 2019, were enrolled in this study. By random number table method, 30 patients were selected as the control group from 59 patients who were treated in the hospital before January 2018 and electronic bronchoscopic cryotherapy had not been used at that time; 30 patients were selected as the observation group from 75 patients who received treatment of cryotherapy under electronic bronchoscope in our hospital after February 2018. The patients in the control group received standard anti-tuberculosis drug treatment, while the pateints in the observation group received a combined treatment of cryotherapy under electronic bronchoscope and anti-tuberculosis drug treatment. The clinical treatment outcomes of the patients was evaluated after 3 months of treatment. The overall treatment effectiveness rate, the negative conversion rate of acid fast staining smear examination with deep sputum, the improvement of airway diameter and the incidence of complications before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. Results: The overall effectiveness rate (96.7%, 29/30) and the negative conversion rate of deep sputum (90.0%, 27/30) in the observation group patients were higher than those in the control group patients (76.7% (23/30) and 66.7% (20/30), respectively)(χ²=5.192, P=0.023; χ ²=4.812, P=0.028). The airway inner diameter ((7.65±1.78) mm) in the observation group patients was significantly larger than that before treatment ((5.22±1.56) mm), and the difference was statistically significant (t=5.632, P<0.001). The airway inner diameter ((6.37±1.69) mm) in the control group patients was larger than that before treatment ((5.50±1.46) mm), but the difference was not statistically significant (t=0.539, P=0.592). There were no serious complications in the observation group patients. Conclusion: Cryointerventional therapy with electronic bronchoscope can improve the treatment outcomes of the patients with bronchial tuberculosis, improve airway stenosis of the pateints and shorten their disease courses. It is a treatment method with high effectiveness and safety.

Key words: Tuberculosis, Bronchial diseases, Bronchoscopy, Cryotherapy