TY - JOUR T1 - Argon plasma coagulation (APC) in relief of bulky malignant central airway obstruction due to lung cancer JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 44 IS - Suppl 58 SP - P696 AU - Bojan Zaric AU - Goran Stojanovic AU - Tomi Kovacevic AU - Evica Budisin AU - Nensi Lalic AU - Branislav Perin Y1 - 2014/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P696.abstract N2 - Introduction: APC efficiency in removal of bulky central airway obstruction is debatable. Major aim of this trial was evaluation of feasibility and safety of APC in removal of bulky malignant central airway obstruction.Patients and methods: this was a prospective non-randomized trial conducted in dedicated respiratory endoscopy unit by experienced bronchoscopists. APC was performed in general anesthesia via combination of rigid and flexible bronchoscopy with the use of electrosurgical unit Endoplasma PSD-60 (Olympus Co. Japan).Results: There were 56 patients, 45(80.4%) men and 11(19.6%) enrolled in the trial. Most of the patients were smokers (83.9%) with ECOG status 1 (91.1%). Majority of patients had tumor localized in right main bronchus (67.9%) while most common type was squamous cell lung cancer (67.9%). In 94.6% patients complete recanalization was accomplished. Treated patients were mostly in stage IV disease(51.8%) with cardiac(46.4%) and respiratory(26.8%) co-morbidity. We found significant correlation between smoking(p=0.01), tumor size(p=0.026) and level of obstruction. Type of tumor (p=0.009) and power setting(p<0.001) were significantly related to recanalization. Pnemothorax, bleeding, cardiac complications and airway fire occurred each in one(1.8%) patient. Endoscopic localization was significantly related(p=0.001) to cardiac complications, T factor(p=0.037) to bleeding and power setting(p<0.001) to pneumothorax.Conclusions: APC is safe and feasible interventional pulmonology technique for relief of bulky malignant CAO. ER -