What is Bronchoscopy?

Bronchoscopy is a diagnostic procedure for viasual examination of the airway. It is commonly performed using a flexible fiberoptic or a video-chip equipped bronchoscope. The latest video-chip equipped bronchoscopes not only provide enhanced imaging/visualization capablilities, they also allow for video archiving/filming of the actual movie clip (using a video recorder uplink) of the respiratory airway/tract.

When is Bronchoscopy indicated?

Bronchoscopy is primarily used for investigating the cause of pulmonary symptoms such as bronchial deviation, chronic cough, elevated hemidiaphragm, hemoptysis, investigating traumatic pulmonary injuries, Lung abscesses, lung mass, lung nodules, lung tumors, peripheral lung biopsy, endobronchial biopsies, staging of lung cancer, tracheal deviation, unexplained lung volume loss, unexplained pleural effusion, unexplained respiratory difficulties, wheezing. Bronchoscopy is also used for investigating any abnormalities found in chest/thoracic radiographs (X-rays and CT scans), as well as for balloon bronchoplasty, for localized brachytherapy (endobronchial radiation therapy), for precise targeting of laser therapy to airway tumors, for treating airway lesions, to assist in intubation, to close a bronchopleural fistula, to help drain lung abscesses, to place airway stents, and to remove foreign bodies.

How safe is Bronchoscopy?

Success of Bronchoscopy greatly depends upon the skills of the bronchoscopist and as well as the bronchoscopy laboratory supprt staff. Patients likely to develop complications include those suffering from: bleeding disorders, myocardial infarction, tracheal obstruction, as well as patients fitted with mechanical ventilators.

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