Role of interventional pulmonology in intensive care units: A scoping review

Table 3 Tools in central airway obstruction

Tool	Technique	Indication	Advantages	Disadvantages
Electro-cautery	Electrical current applied via a probe to burn or coagulate tissue, electrocautery knives can also be used for tissue resection prior to dilation	Removal of tumors, hemostasis, tissue resection in subglottic stenosis	Precise control, minimal bleeding, and immediate effect. Useful in removal of pedunculated masses (electrocautery snare)	Risk of thermal injury to surrounding tissue, requires low fractional inspired oxygen
Balloon dilation	Balloon catheter inserted and inflated to dilate stenosed airways	Tracheal/bronchial stenosis	Minimally invasive. Can be utilized prior to stent placed to achieve long-term airway patency	Risk of tearing or perforation of the airway
Laser therapy	Used to cut or vaporize obstructive tissue in the airway (Nd:YAG laser most commonly used)	Obstruction from tumors or benign growths	High precision, effective in debulking obstructive lesions	Risk of thermal injury. Risk of damaging surrounding tissue. Costly, not widely accessible
Cryo-probe	Freezing tissue with liquid nitrogen or other cryogenic substance, allowing tissue adhesion and destruction	Treatment and debulking of benign or malignant tumors. Foreign body removal	Minimizes bleeding. Effective for organic tissue	Multiple treatments may be required to debulk large tumors
Argon plasma coagulation	Non-contact thermal coagulation using ionized argon gas	Useful in control of bleeding, useful in granulation tissue formed at the site of surgical anastomosis	Effective for superficial bleeding lesions, less risk of perforation	Does not result in tumor vaporization, and not ideal for debulking large masses