What is a Bronchoscopy ?:
A bronchoscopy is a test that allows your doctor to examine your airways. Your doctor will thread an instrument called a bronchoscope through your nose or mouth and down your throat to reach your lungs. The bronchoscope is made of a flexible fiber-optic material and has a light source and a camera on the end. Most bronchoscopes are compatible with color video, which helps your doctor document their findings.
Why does a doctor order a bronchoscopy?
Using the bronchoscope, your doctor can view all of the structures that make up your respiratory system. These include your larynx, trachea, and the smaller airways of your lungs, which include the bronchi and bronchioles.
- a lung disease
- a tumor
- a chronic cough
- an infection
Your doctor may order a bronchoscopy if you have an abnormal chest X-ray or CT scan that shows evidence of an infection, a tumor, or a collapsed lung.
The test is also sometimes used as a treatment tool. For example, a bronchoscopy can allow your doctor to deliver medication to your lungs or remove an object that’s caught in your airways, like a piece of food.
Preparing for a bronchoscopy
A local anesthetic spray is applied to your nose and throat during a bronchoscopy. You’ll probably get a sedative to help you relax. This means that you’ll be awake but drowsy during the procedure. Oxygen is usually given during a bronchoscopy. General anesthesia is rarely needed.
You’ll need to avoid eating or drinking anything for 6 to 12 hours before the bronchoscopy. Before the procedure, ask your doctor if you need to stop taking:
- aspirin (Bayer)
- ibuprofen (Advil)
- warfarin
- other blood thinners
Bring someone with you to your appointment to drive you home afterward, or arrange for transportation.
Depending on your specific condition, your doctor may find one or more of the following:
- During a virtual bronchoscopy, your doctor uses CT scans to see your airways in more detail.
- During an endobronchial ultrasound, your doctor uses an ultrasound probe attached to a bronchoscope to see your airways.
- During a fluorescence bronchoscopy, your doctor uses a fluorescent light attached to the bronchoscope to see the inside of your lungs.
Risks of a bronchoscopy
Bronchoscopy is safe for most people. However, like all medical procedures, there are some risks involved. Risks may include:
- bleeding, especially if a biopsy is done
- infection
- trouble breathing
- a low blood oxygen level during the test
Contact your doctor if you:
- have a fever
- are coughing up blood
- have trouble breathing
Very rare but potentially life-threatening risks of bronchoscopy include heart attack and lung collapse. A collapsed lung can be due to a pneumothorax, or increased pressure on your lung due to the escape of air into the lining of your lung. This results from a puncture of the lung during the procedure and is more common with a rigid bronchoscope than with a flexible fiber-optic scope. If air collects around your lung during the procedure, your doctor can use a chest tube to remove the collected air.
