The importance of tracheoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis

At present, tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease that seriously endangers human health. The diagnosis of tuberculosis is mainly based on clinical symptoms, chest X-ray, sputum bacteriological examination and PPD test, etc. The “gold standard” for its confirmation is sputum bacteriology. However, it is extremely difficult to determine the diagnosis in patients with clinical symptoms and signs, atypical lesions on chest X-ray and negative sputum bacteriology or no sputum TB, which delays the time of treatment. In recent years, with the continuous development of tracheoscopic interventional technology, the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis has developed rapidly, playing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. First, in patients with bacillus-negative tuberculosis or suspected tuberculosis, timely bronchoscopy is taken for bronchial brushings, biopsies, alveolar lavage fluid delivery and postoperative sputum examination, making it possible for patients to obtain a pathogenic or pathological diagnosis, reducing misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis and playing a key role in the final confirmation of the diagnosis. Second, to detect and confirm the diagnosis of bronchial tuberculosis, and to perform endoscopic intervention for all types of bronchial tuberculosis. Bronchial tuberculosis is slow in onset, has a variety of symptoms, lacks specificity, and is often masked by symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis or other respiratory diseases, so it is not easily detected and is often misdiagnosed or missed. Severe bronchial tuberculosis is difficult to treat clinically, because its lesions are mostly granulomatous and covered with necrotic tissues, the lesions have distorted and thin blood vessels, poor local blood flow, and the lesions are hypoxic and acidic, which affects the penetration of drugs in the lesions, and the sputum bacteria are not easily turned negative by systemic chemotherapy, and complications such as bronchial stenosis and atelectasis are likely to occur. Bronchoscopic interventions such as clamping and freezing can remove local bronchial secretions, necrotic material and granulation tissue, unblock the lumen and improve drainage; at the same time, local injection of effective anti-tuberculosis drugs, such as isoniazid, butamycin, levofloxacin, etc., can act directly on the lesion, which can increase the concentration of drugs in the lesion, play a bactericidal and antibacterial role, promote the absorption of inflammation, and make the congested and edematous bronchial mucosa more stable. The bronchial mucosa with congestion and edema is restored, and the occurrence of bronchial tuberculosis complications is reduced. For bronchial tuberculosis with severe bronchial stenosis, bronchoscopic high-pressure water balloon dilatation treatment is feasible, which can lift the obstruction of the trachea and promote the elimination of distal secretions, effectively avoiding repeated infection of distal lung tissue, pulmonary atelectasis and lung destruction, and trying to save the lung function of patients. For patients with pulmonary tuberculosis with cavity, caseous pneumonia, refractory or drug-resistant tuberculosis, bronchoscopic intervention can remove secretions or caseous necrotic material from the lumen, unblock the airway, and change the acidic environment conducive to bacterial growth; at the same time, local injection of drugs into the lesion or cavity can increase the local drug concentration, inhibit bacterial growth, promote the repair of the lesion or cavity, accelerate the conversion of sputum bacteria, and improve the therapeutic effect. The effect can be improved. Fourth, the treatment of tuberculous hemoptysis includes the establishment of artificial airway, removal of blood, microscopic hemostasis, determination of the source of bleeding, prevention of asphyxia and other first aid.