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Abstract

Objective:To evaluate the usefulness of fibreoptic bronchoscopy as a diagnostic tool in a tertiary cares hospital in Karachi. Design:All patients presented during July '2002-June 03 with various indications for bronschoscopy were subjected to fibreoptic bronchoscopy. Setting:Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, Karachi, a tertiary care teaching Hospital, Karachi. Result: A definite diagnosis was made in 70 patients(53.43%).bronchial carcinoma was diagnosed in 39, puilmonary tuberculosis in 08,fungal infections in 02, bronchiactasis exacerbation in 09 patients. Hydatid cyst, anthracosis, chronic bronchitis was the other diagnoses. Conclusion: It is a safe procedure to diagnose bronchial carcinoma, unsuspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and unexplained lung lesions. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common tumour followed by small cell carcinoma. In bonchogenic carcinoma the diagnostic yield of bronchoscopically visible lesion is 75% in our setting.