What is bronchoscopy?

Bronchoscopy is a medical procedure used to examine the airways called bronchi and the inside of the lungs. This procedure is used to see inside the bronchi, take a biopsy, assess infections, remove foreign bodies and perform some treatment procedures. It is done using a metal tube called a bronchoscope (rigid bronchoscopy) or a flexible thinner device (fiberoptic bronchoscopy).  This device is passed through your nose or mouth, through the breathing tube (trachea) into the bronchi and bronchial branches.

In which cases is bronchoscopy used?

Bronchoscopy can be used for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

Diagnostic Bronchoscopy: Used to diagnose or evaluate problems in a patient’s lungs. For example, it can be used to see and biopsy lung cancer or other tumors in the airway, to take a sample of bronchial fluid in sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, and some other infections, and to find the source of bleeding from the lungs.

 

Biopsy: During bronchoscopy, small tissue samples can be taken from inside the bronchi. These samples are sent for laboratory examination and can help determine the presence or type of cancer, infection or other pathological conditions.

 

Therapeutic Bronchoscopy: Bronchoscopy is used to treat some medical conditions. For example, bronchoscopy procedures may be performed to open the bronchi in which lung tumors grow or to remove an obstructing foreign body.

 

Infection Assessment: Bronchoscopy can be performed to identify the microorganism causing advanced infections (e.g. pneumonia) and then for the correct antibiotic treatment.

 

Mucus Clearance: Bronchoscopy can be used to clear the bronchi and reduce mucus build-up. Especially after lung surgeries, bronchoscopy may be necessary to clear mucus accumulations because the patient cannot cough and expectorate well.

 

Bronchoscopy is a procedure performed by a specialist and is usually performed under local anesthesia or sedation (light sleep). It is important to closely monitor the patient’s respiratory function.

What is endobronchial ultrasound EBUS?

For lung cancer and some other diseases, a bronchoscope with a built-in ultrasound probe can be used to check the lymph nodes in the chest. This is called endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS). With the help of the ultrasound image, biopsies can be taken from lymph nodes or masses near the trachea and main bronchi.