The Flexible Bronchoscopy Findings of Children who have Chronic Cough

Aim: Coughing is a common symptom in childhood. The cough last for over 4 to 6 weeks and also which makes patients the family and the doctor feel discomfort is called chronic cough. If this cough last long and repeats, it has to be investigated. After a detailed history and physical examination, distinctive studies have to be made. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the patients, which have been made flexible bronchoscopy because of chronic cough, by their clinical, laboratory and bronchoscopic findings. Material and Method: In this study we evaluated 23 patients with chronic cough; which were examined between January 2002 and December 2006 in Pediatric Chest Unit of Hacettepe University. Patients have cough for over 4 to 6 weeks, without specific chest X Ray findings, gastroesophageal reflux and problem with their immunologic system were and because of all these reasons they have been made bronchoscopy. The patients files are analyzed retrospectively by their demographic, clinic and bronchoscopic findings. Results: The study consisted of 23 patients: (12 males/11 females). The age of the patients vary between 1 and 13,8 years (mean age: 5 years). All patient’s radiological findings were normal without one patient. This patient’s have bronchial abnormalities in sanal bronchoscopy. When it is observed with flexible bronchoscopy ten patients have abnormal findings. Two patients have foreing body aspiration in their left main bronchus, two patients have tracheomalasia, three patients have hyperemia and secretions infection and two have bronchial abnormalites.In six patients’ bronchoalveolar lavage microorganism grew. Three patients have lipid laden macrophage and two patients whose previous gastroesophageal reflux scintigraphie were negative then found in and started treatment Conclusion: Although flexible bronchoscopy is an invasive technique, it evaluates respiratory system’s functional, anatomic characteristics well and it is a valuable technique in finding the etiology of chronic cough.