Clinical Profile and Diagnosis of Tracheal Bronchus Among Patients Undergoing Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy in a Tertiary Level Health Facility

ABSTRACT Background: Tracheobronchial anomalies are rare clinical entities and often asymptomatic in nature. Some patients may experience symptoms such as cough, recurrent pneumonia, or hemoptysis. Tracheal bronchus is one of the rarer forms of tracheobronchial anomalies, which may be seen during routine bronchoscopy. Knowledge and understanding of tracheal bronchus is important for diagnosing symptomatic patients and performing certain procedures, including bronchoscopy and endotracheal intubation. Objective: The objective is to study the clinical profile, diagnosis, and management of tracheal bronchus detected during routine bronchoscopy in a tertiary care setting. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of hospital data of patients undergoing fiberoptic bronchoscopy for 2 years in a tertiary care setting. Results: There were 150 bronchoscopies performed during the period. A total of 42 anomalies were detected in 35 (23.33%) patients. Three patients had tracheal bronchus (2%). Conclusions: This retrospective study evaluated the presence of tracheal bronchus among patients who underwent bronchoscopy in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala, India. This study revealed that tracheal bronchus was present in 2% of all bronchoscopies done during that period.