Bronchoscopy (bron-KOS-ko-pee) is a procedure used
to look inside the lungs' airways, called the bronchi and bronchioles. The
airways carry air from the trachea (TRA-ke-ah), or windpipe, to the lungs.
During the procedure, your doctor passes a thin,
flexible tube called a bronchoscope through your nose (or sometimes your
mouth), down your throat, and into your airways. If you have a breathing tube,
the bronchoscope can be passed through the tube to your airways.
The bronchoscope has a light and small camera that
allow your doctor to see your windpipe and airways and take pictures.
You’ll be given medicine to make you relaxed and sleepy during the
procedure.
If there's a lot of bleeding in your lungs or a
large object stuck in your throat, your doctor may use a bronchoscope with a
rigid tube. The rigid tube, which is passed through the mouth, is wider. This
allows your doctor to see inside it more easily, treat bleeding, and remove
stuck objects.
A rigid bronchoscopy usually is done in a hospital
operating room using general anesthesia (AN-es-THE-ze-a). The term "anesthesia"
refers to a loss of feeling and awareness. General anesthesia temporarily puts
you to sleep.
Overview
Bronchoscopy usually is done to find the cause of a
lung problem. Your doctor may take samples of mucus or tissue from your lungs
during the procedure to test in a lab.
Bronchoscopy may show a tumor, signs of an
infection, excess mucus in the airways, the site of bleeding, or something
blocking the airway, like a piece of food.
Sometimes bronchoscopy is used to treat lung
problems. It may be done to insert a stent in an airway. An airway stent is a
small tube that holds the airway open. It's used when a tumor or other
condition blocks an airway.
In children, the procedure most often is used to
remove something blocking an airway. In some cases, it's used to find out
what's causing a
cough
that has lasted for at least a few weeks.
Outlook
Bronchoscopy usually is a safe procedure. You may be
hoarse and have a sore throat after the procedure. There's a slight risk of
minor bleeding or developing a fever or
pneumonia.
A rare, but more serious risk is a
pneumothorax
(noo-mo-THOR-aks), or collapsed lung. In this condition, air collects in the
space around the lungs, which causes one or both lungs to collapse. Usually,
this problem is easily treated.
Scientists are studying new methods of bronchoscopy,
including virtual bronchoscopy. This is a type of computed tomography
(to-MOG-rah-fee), or CT, scan. A CT scan uses special x rays to
take clear, detailed pictures of the inside of your body.
During the scan, you lie on a table that slides
through the center of a tunnel-shaped x-ray machine. X-ray tubes in the scanner
rotate around you and take pictures of your lungs.
Virtual bronchoscopy still isn’t widely
used.
Who Needs Bronchoscopy?
The most common reason why your doctor may decide to
do a bronchoscopy is if you have an abnormal
chest
x ray or
chest
computed tomography (CT) scan. These tests may show a tumor, a
pneumothorax
(collapsed lung), or signs of an infection.
A chest x ray takes a picture of your heart and
lungs. A chest CT scan uses special x rays to take pictures of the
inside of your body.
Other reasons for bronchoscopy include if you're
coughing up blood or if you have a
cough
that has lasted more than a few weeks.
The procedure also can be done to remove something
that's stuck in an airway (like a piece of food), to place medicine in a lung
to treat a lung problem, or to insert a stent (small tube) in an airway to hold
it open when a tumor or other condition causes a blockage.
Bronchoscopy also can be used to check for swelling
in the upper airways and vocal cords of people who were burned around the
throat area or who inhaled smoke from a fire.
In children, the procedure most often is used to
remove something blocking an airway. In some cases, it's used to find out
what's causing a cough that has lasted for at least a few weeks.
What To Expect Before Bronchoscopy
Your doctor will do the bronchoscopy in a special
clinic or in a hospital. To prepare for the procedure, tell your doctor:
What medicines you're taking, including
prescription and over-the-counter medicines. It's helpful to give your doctor a
list of the medicines you take.
About any previous bleeding problems.
About any allergies to medicines or latex.
The medicine you'll get before the procedure will
make you sleepy, so you should arrange for a ride home from the clinic or
hospital.
Avoid eating or drinking for 4 to 8 hours before the
procedure. Your doctor will let you know the right amount of time.
What To Expect During Bronchoscopy
Your doctor will do the bronchoscopy in an exam room
at a special clinic or in a hospital. The bronchoscopy itself usually lasts
about 30 minutes. But the entire procedure, including preparation and recovery
time, takes about 4 hours.
Your doctor will give you medicine through an
intravenous (IV) line in your bloodstream or by mouth to make you sleepy and
relaxed.
Your doctor also will squirt or spray a liquid
medicine into your nose and throat to make them numb. This helps prevent
coughing and gagging when the bronchoscope (long, thin tube) is inserted.
Then, your doctor will insert the bronchoscope
through your nose or mouth and into your airways. As the tube enters your
mouth, you may gag a little. Once it enters your throat, that feeling will go
away.
Your doctor will look at your vocal cords and
airways through the bronchoscope (which has a light and a small camera).
The animation below shows a bronchoscopy procedure.
Click the "start" button to play the animation. Written and spoken explanations
are provided with each frame. Use the buttons in the lower right corner to
pause, restart, or replay the animation, or use the scroll bar below the
buttons to move through the frames.
The animation shows how a doctor
inserts a bronchoscope into a patient’s nose and passes it down into the
airways. This allows the doctor to look inside the airways.
During the procedure, your doctor may take a sample
of lung fluid or tissue for further testing. Samples can be taken using:
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BRON-ko-al-VE-o-lar
la-VAHZH). For this method, your doctor passes a small amount of salt water (a
saline solution) through the bronchoscope and into part of your lung. He or she
then suctions the salt water back out. The fluid picks up cells and bacteria
from the airway, which your doctor can study.
Transbronchial lung biopsy. For this method,
your doctor inserts forceps into the bronchoscope and takes a small sample of
tissue from inside the lung.
Transbronchial needle aspiration. For this
method, your doctor inserts a needle into the bronchoscope and removes cells
from the lymph nodes in your lungs. These nodes are small, bean-shaped masses.
They trap bacteria and cancer cells and help fight infection.
You may feel short of breath during bronchoscopy,
but enough air is getting to your lungs. Your doctor will check your oxygen
level. If the level drops, you'll be given oxygen.
If you have a lot of bleeding in your lungs or a
large object stuck in your throat, your doctor may use a bronchoscope with a
rigid tube. The rigid tube, which is passed through the mouth, is wider. This
allows your doctor to see inside it more easily, treat bleeding, and remove
stuck objects.
A rigid bronchoscopy usually is done in a hospital
operating room using general anesthesia. The term "anesthesia" refers to a loss
of feeling and awareness. General anesthesia temporarily puts you to sleep.
After the procedure is done, your doctor will remove
the bronchoscope.
What To Expect After Bronchoscopy
After bronchoscopy, you'll need to stay at the
clinic or hospital for up to a few hours. If your doctor uses a bronchoscope
with a rigid tube, the recovery time is longer. While you're at the clinic or
hospital:
You may have a
chest
x ray if your doctor took a sample of lung tissue. This test will check for
a
pneumothorax
and bleeding. A pneumothorax is a condition in which air or gas collects in the
space around the lungs. This can cause one or both lungs to collapse. Usually,
this condition is easily treated.
A nurse will check your breathing and blood
pressure.
You can't eat or drink until the numbness in
your throat wears off. This takes 1 to 2 hours.
After recovery, you'll need to have someone take you
home. You'll be too sleepy to drive.
If samples of tissue or fluid were taken during the
procedure, they'll be tested in a lab. Talk to your doctor about when you'll
get the lab results.
Recovery and Recuperation
Your doctor will let you know when you can return to
your normal activities, such as driving, working, and physical activity. For
the first few days, you may have a sore throat, cough, and hoarseness. Call
your doctor right away if you:
Develop a fever
Have chest pain
Have trouble breathing
Cough up more than a few tablespoons of blood
What Does Bronchoscopy Show?
Bronchoscopy may show a tumor, signs of an
infection, excess mucus in the airways, the site of bleeding, or something
blocking your airway.
Your doctor will use the procedure results to decide
how to treat any lung problems that were found. Other tests may be needed.
What Are the Risks of Bronchoscopy?
Bronchoscopy usually is a safe procedure. However,
there's a small risk for problems, such as:
A drop in your oxygen level during the
procedure. Your doctor will give you oxygen if this happens.
Minor bleeding and developing a fever or
pneumonia.
A rare, but more serious side effect is a
pneumothorax.
A pneumothorax is a condition in which air or gas collects in the space around
the lungs. This can cause one or both lungs to collapse.
Usually, this condition is easily treated or may go
away on its own. If it interferes with breathing, a tube may need to be placed
in the space around the lungs to remove the air.
A
chest
x ray may be done after bronchoscopy to check for problems.
Key Points
Bronchoscopy is a procedure used to look inside
the lungs' airways.
During this procedure, your doctor inserts a
bronchoscope (a thin, flexible tube) through your nose or mouth, down your
throat, and into your airways. The bronchoscope has a light and small camera
that allow your doctor see your windpipe and airways and take pictures.
This procedure usually is done to find the cause
of a lung condition, such as a tumor. Sometimes it's done to treat a lung
problem.
Your doctor may decide to do a bronchoscopy if
you have an abnormal
chest
x ray or
chest
computed tomography (CT) scan. This is the most common reason for
bronchoscopy. Chest x rays and CT scans can show a tumor,
pneumothorax
(collapsed lung), or signs of an infection.
Bronchoscopy also can be done to remove
something stuck in the airway or to place medicine in the lung to treat a lung
problem. The procedure also can be used to check for swelling in the upper
airways and vocal cords of people who were burned around the throat area or who
inhaled smoke from a fire.
In children, bronchoscopy is used to remove
something blocking the airway. In some cases, it's used to find out what's
causing a
cough
that has lasted for at least a few weeks.
Bronchoscopy is done in a special clinic or
hospital. Your doctor will give you medicine to numb your nose and throat and
make you sleepy and relaxed. Then, he or she will insert the bronchoscope and
look at your lungs. Your doctor may take a sample of lung fluid or tissue for
further testing, or he or she may insert a stent (small tube) to hold the
airway open.
If there's a lot of bleeding in your lungs or a
large object stuck in your throat, your doctor may use a bronchoscope with a
rigid tube. A rigid bronchoscopy usually is done in a hospital operating room
using general anesthesia. The term "anesthesia" refers to a loss of feeling and
awareness. General anesthesia temporarily puts you to sleep.
The bronchoscopy itself usually takes about 30
minutes. But the entire procedure, including preparation and recovery time,
takes about 4 hours.
For a few days after the procedure, you may be
hoarse and have a sore throat. Call your doctor right away if you have chest
pain, trouble breathing, or if you cough up more than a few tablespoons of
blood.
Bronchoscopy can show a tumor, signs of an
infection, excess mucus in the airways, the site of bleeding, or something
blocking the airway (like a piece of food).
Bronchoscopy usually is a safe procedure.
However, there's a small risk for problems. These problems may include a drop
in your oxygen level during the procedure, minor bleeding, or developing a
fever or
pneumonia.
A more serious risk is a pneumothorax, or
collapsed lung. In this condition, air collects in the space around the lungs.
This can cause one or both lungs to collapse. Usually, this condition is easily
treated.
DCI Home:
Lung Diseases: Bronchoscopy: Printer Friendly Summary Page 
