The presence of black pigments in the airway is an uncommon finding that may be associated with intratracheal melanomas, anthracosis, deposits of coal dust, use of amiodarone or other substances. It is known as “black bronchoscopy”.1 We report the case of a 52-year-old woman found in her home with reduced level of consciousness after a fire broke out, who required orotracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation.
The photograph (Fig. 1) is a view of the flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy performed via the orotracheal tube 24h after admission, showing diffuse presence of a blackish gelatinous substance adhered to the tracheobronchial mucosa (corresponding to soot deposits) that were difficult to aspirate despite repeated washing with saline solution, along with significant endobronchial edema.
In our patient, fiberoptic bronchoscopy was both diagnostic, ruling out additional complications, such as endobronchial burns or infection of respiratory secretions, and therapeutic, assisting in the removal of the soot deposits, thus preventing the future formation of synechiae caused by the deposits in the endobronchial tract.
Please cite this article as: de Vega Sánchez B, Vicente CD, Martin LN. Fibrobroncoscopia negra en el contexto de un incendio. Arch Bronconeumol. 2016;52:564.
