Argon gas knife combined with cryotherapy for amyloidosis leading to severe airway stenosis

Abstract

Objective: This case report shows that bronchoscopy is an important method to treat severe airway stenosis caused by bronchial amyloidosis. Bronchoscopic forceps were used to incise the intra-tracheal lump repeatedly. The incision was frozen with a cryosurgery probe, argon knife was used to stop the bleeding until the airway lumen stenosis was reduced to approximately 40%, after which, it continued to enter the lumen. We used bronchoscopic biopsy forceps to repeatedly clamp the lumps in the tracheal carina and left and right main bronchial tumors until the lumen was completely unobstructed. Results: The symptoms of severe dyspnea and wheezing were significantly improved after two interventions with the bronchoscope. Keywords: Argon plasma coagulation, Bronchial amyloidosis, Cryosurgery, Severe airway stenosis