Fiberoptic bronchoscopy following thermal injury.

In a series of 25 burned patients, 15 had inhalation injury as evidenced by fiberbronchoscopic examination. The criteria for post-thermal pulmonary injury were airway edema and inflammation, mucosal necrosis and presence of soot and charring in the airways. This technique of direct visualization of the pulmonary tree can be performed easily, without complications, and provides an objective means for the early diagnosis of inhalation injury in burned patients and prompt institution of treatment.