What is Bronchoscopy?

Bronchoscopy helps a doctor to examine inside the airway for any abnormality such as foreign bodies, bleeding, a tumor, or inflammation. Bronchoscopy is used to see abnormalities of the airway, to obtain samples of an abnormality or specimens in undiagnosed infections, to obtain tissue specimens of the lung in a variety of disorders, to evaluate a person who has bleeding in the lungs, possible lung cancer, a chronic cough, or a collapsed lung, to remove foreign objects lodged in the airway, to open the spaces of a blocked airway.

There are two types of Bronchoscopes, rigid bronchoscope and flexible bronchoscope.

Rigid bronchoscope: A rigid bronchoscope is a straight, hollow, metal tube. This procedure is mostly used for removing foreign material and for several other treatments. Rigid bronchoscopy also becomes useful when bleeding interferes with seeing the area.

Flexible bronchoscope: A flexible bronchoscope is a long thin tube that has small fibers that send light images when the tube bends. The flexibility of the tube allows it to reach the utmost areas in an airway.

A fine metal tube will be pushed into the nose and through the thin bone of the maxilla into the sinus. Saline water will be flushed through the tube into the sinus.

Procedure

Patient will be given antianxiety and antisecretory medications to dry your mouth and membranes a half-hour before the procedure.

During the procedure, patient will be sedated, but remains conscious. Medicines can also be used to anesthetize the upper airways.

Patient will be supervised during the procedure with periodic blood pressure checks, continuous ECG monitoring of the heart and oxygen measurement.

A flexible bronchoscope is inserted either through nose or mouth.

The bronchoscope is inserted into the upper airway; and firstly the vocal cords will be examined then the instrument is moved on to the trachea and on down, examining each area as the tube passes.

If any abnormality is discovered, doctors will sample it, using a brush, a needle, or forceps.

Post Procedure

Patients are required to remain for a brief period of observation.

Most complications occur early and are evident at the time of the procedure.

Patient will be supervised until the effects of sedative drugs wear off and gag reflex has returned.

In case patients had a transbronchial biopsy, doctors will take an x-ray of the chest to find out if there are any air leakages in the lungs after the procedure.

Patient will be hospitalized if he/she shows any bleeding, air leakage, or respiratory distress.

Risks

The rigid bronchoscope can scratch or tear the airway or damage the vocal cords, the risk of bronchoscopy is very confined. Doctors use it to identify life-threatening cardiac problems and severely low oxygen.

Complications from flexible bronchoscope remain extremely low.

Common complications after bronchoscopy are heart and blood vessel problems and excessive bleeding following biopsy.

Biopsy may also cause leakage of air called pneumothorax. Pneumothorax occurs in less than 1% of cases requiring lung biopsy.