Diagnostic yield and complications of flexible bronchoscopy performed at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg academic hospital: A 5 year restrospective study

Objectives: There is a high incidence of lung diseases but very little data in South Africa relating to bronchoscopy practice. The objectives of the study are to determine the diagnostic yield, indications, and complications as well as determine the effectiveness of biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in making diagnoses of infectious and non-infectious diseases. Materials and Methods: Six hundred and ninety-two patients were identified and 647 cases were analyzed due to 45 cases with inadequate data for analyses. A single-center retrospective cross-sectional review of patients who underwent bronchoscopy between January 2015 and December 2019 was conducted at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Results: The epidemiology of the subjects showed a significant male predominance (64.14%), with a mean age of 55.9 years of age. The most common indication was suspected malignancy, followed by non-resolving pneumonia, 63.99%, and 14.53%, respectively. A total of 120 (18.55%) patients were diagnosed with a malignancy on biopsy and 83 (12.83%) on BAL. Of all bronchoscopies performed, 85.94% had no complications during or after bronchoscopy, whereas 10.97% were complicated with bleeding. Conclusion: This audit revealed that flexible bronchoscopy is safe and effective and associated with minimal risk. This study revealed the use of bronchoscopy in diagnosing lung malignancies/carcinomas and highlights the necessity of the availability of bronchoscopy.