Table 2 Otolaryngologists’ attitudes towards nasopharyngeal fiberendoscopy (NFE) in children

Used to using NFE

576

75.4

Used to using alternative diagnostic tests

Clinical evaluation

175/269

65.0

Standardised questionnaires

51/269

19.0

Posterior rhinoscopy

34/269

12.7

Nasopharyngeal X-ray

9/269

3.3

Age of patients in whom NFE is considered feasible

All pre-school years

104

13.5

>3 years

235

30.8

3–8 years

425

55.7

Indications for NFE

Nasal obstruction

33

4.3

Adenoidal facies

15

2.0

Recurrent or chronic middle ear disease

62

8.1

Rhinosinusitis

26

3.4

All of the above

628

82.2

Indications for in-patient NFE

Children with a genetic syndrome

42

5.5

Uncooperative children

65

8.5

Children aged <18 months in whom severe disease is highly suspected

84

11.0

All of the above

283

37.0

Children with genetic syndrome or aged <18 months in whom severe disease is highly suspected

290

38.0

Percentage of children in whom NFE is not considered feasible

≤5 %

448

58.6

6–24 %

249

32.6

25–50 %

46

6.0

49–74 %

11

1.5

≥75 %

10

1.3

Percentage of children experiencing untoward effects

≤5 %

718

94.0

6–25 %

44

5.8

26–50 %

2

<1

Untoward effects

Nasal bleeding

579

75.8

Traumatic lesions

64

8.4

Syncope

90

11.8

Desaturation

21

2.7

Other

10

1.3

Tolerability

None

79

10.3

Poor

401

52.5

Fair

241

31.6

Good

37

4.9

Excellent

7

<1

Final evaluation of NFE

A generally well-tolerated, minimally invasive examination that can be used in most children; very useful in clinical practice

518

67.8

A not always well-tolerated, minimally invasive examination that should only be used in the case of strong diagnostic suspicion; moderately useful in clinical practice

238

31.1

A poorly tolerated invasive examination that should only be used in selected cases; not very useful in clinical practice

8

1.1