The objective of the study was to establish which anesthetic procedure used during flexible bronchoscopy has the lowest index of complications.

This prospective randomized study analyzed 80 patients that underwent flexible bronchoscopy. Patients were randomly assigned to four groups of 20 patients each according to the anesthetic combination used: 200 mg topical lidocaine (LID group); 200 mg topical lidocaine and 2 mg/kg propofol (PPF group); 200 mg topical lidocaine and 20 mcg/kg alfentanil (ALF group); or 200 mg topical lidocaine and 0.05 mg/kg midazolam (MID group). Scores were assigned to patients according to the different variables observed during the endoscopic procedure; the lower the score, the lower the complication index.

• Drug: propofol
• Drug: midazolam
• Drug: alfentanil
• Drug: lidocaine

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Inclusion Criteria:

• The patients included in this study were referred to FBC for the investigation of bronchial carcinoma (diagnostic procedure).
• Patients included in the study were classified as ASA I, II and II according to the anesthetic risk classification of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).

Exclusion Criteria:

• ASA IV classification of anesthesiology risk
• procedure that lasted longer than 15 minutes
• indication of therapeutic bronchoscopy
• cardiac arrhythmia and / or hypoxemia detected at admission.