Withholding life support. An ethical guide for the perplexed.

Editorials authoritative review articles addressing the various aspects ofbronchoscopy is quite obvious. Granted that bronchoscopy is a procedure learned by observing and performing, not by reading manuals and papers, one must recognize that one cannot always learn all the nuances ofthe procedure from one’s teacher. As in any area of surgery, the experience gained is often directly proportional to the number of operations performed, and the limited use ofbronchoscopy in certain practice settings may not provide the needed expertise or experience. Most ofthe newly trained bronchoscopists probably fit into this category. These are the areas that the editorial board of Chest believes can be helped by publishing comprehensive review articles written by well-recognized authorities in the field. In this issue, the contribution by Shapshay and Beamis (see page 449) leads to the better understanding of the role of the carbon dioxide laser in tracheobronchial lesions. Future reviews will address the role of transbronchial needle aspiration, bronchoscopy in the early diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma, bronchoscopic photography, techniques to improve diagnostic and therapeutic yield from bronchoscopy, pediatric bronchoscopy, and others. Since almost all the articles are solicited and hence entirely dependent on the expeditiousness of authors, their publication will be intermittent and on an “as they come” basis. The editorial board envisions that the Bronchoscopy department will become a regular feature of Chest and hopes that the readers will benefit from the new series of articles. The editorial board welcomes suggestions from readers regarding future topics on bronchoscopy. Ud.aya B. S. Prakash, MD., F.C.C.P Rochester, Minnesota