Guideline in Focus
Management of Central Airway Obstruction

Central airway obstruction (CAO) management depends on provider training and available local resources, making the clinical approach and outcomes highly variable. This guideline provides recommendations for management of symptomatic malignant and nonmalignant CAO.

PUBLISHED July 17, 2024

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Key Recommendations

For patients with symptomatic malignant or nonmalignant CAO, we suggest therapeutic bronchoscopy as an adjunct to systemic medical therapy and/or local radiation.

For patients with symptomatic malignant or nonmalignant CAO, we suggest the use of rigid bronchoscopy over flexible bronchoscopy for therapeutic interventions.

For patients with symptomatic malignant or nonmalignant CAO, we suggest the use of general anesthesia/deep sedation over moderate sedation for therapeutic bronchoscopy.


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≥50%

Occlusion of trachea
or bronchi
Intrinsic, extrinsic, mixed

Categories of CAO
Lung cancer

Most common etiology
of malignant CAO
CT scan

Imaging of choice
for CAO

Implement this guideline into practice

Our guidelines are aimed at helping you respond to today’s clinical challenges and improve patient health outcomes. Our panel of experts has developed multimedia content to facilitate adoption of this guideline into your day-to-day practice.


PRESS RELEASE

Guideline on Management of Central Airway Obstruction Released by CHEST
In a release issued to the media, lead author, Kamran Mahmood, MD, MPH, FCCP, speaks to the importance of this guideline in practice.

2 MINUTE READ

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