Flexible bronchoscopy
A thin, flexible scope passed through the nose or mouth under sedation to inspect the airways, wash out samples and take biopsies (EBLB, TBLB, TBNA).
Airway procedures · Coimbatore
Bronchoscopy in Coimbatore
A day-care look inside the airways — to find the cause of a cough, a shadow on a scan or coughing up blood, and to take the samples that give a definite answer.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Arun Gangadhar, MBBS, DNB (Pulmonary Medicine), MNAMS, IDCCM, EDARM — Consultant Interventional Pulmonologist & Sleep Physician, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital and Lung Care — The Pulmonary Clinic, Coimbatore.
Overview
What bronchoscopy is, and why it is done
Bronchoscopy is an examination of the windpipe and the branching airways with a thin camera. It is both a diagnostic test and, in many situations, the treatment itself.
Bronchoscopy is performed by Dr. Arun Gangadhar, Consultant Interventional Pulmonologist and Sleep Physician at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore, with follow-up at Lung Care — The Pulmonary Clinic, R.S. Puram.
The decision to do a bronchoscopy is always made after a consultation and a review of your scans. In many patients a scan and a lung function test answer the question and no procedure is needed at all.
Procedures
Bronchoscopic procedures performed
Rigid bronchoscopy
Performed under general anaesthesia for airway procedures that need a wider working channel — bleeding control, tumour debulking and stent placement.
Bronchoscopic biopsy
Endobronchial and transbronchial biopsy, brushings and lavage to diagnose infection, tuberculosis, interstitial lung disease and lung cancer.
Endobronchial procedures
Airway stenting and cryotherapy for airway narrowing, and bronchoscopic thermal vapour ablation in selected emphysema patients.
Foreign-body removal
Retrieval of inhaled foreign bodies from the airway using flexible or rigid bronchoscopy.
Ultrasound-guided sampling
Linear and radial EBUS when lymph nodes or peripheral nodules beyond the airway wall need to be sampled.
For lymph nodes and masses that sit beyond the airway wall, learn about EBUS — ultrasound-guided sampling done during the same bronchoscopy.
What to expect
Preparation, the day itself, and recovery
Before
Fasting, a review of your scans and clotting profile, and a consent discussion about what is being looked for.
During
Sedation or anaesthesia, airway inspection, then washings and biopsies as needed. Most cases take 20–45 minutes.
After
Observation for one to two hours, a light meal, then same-day discharge in most cases.
Results
Microbiology and pathology reports usually arrive in two to five days, and the plan is explained at follow-up.
Questions
Bronchoscopy — common questions
When is a bronchoscopy recommended?
Usually when a scan shows a shadow, nodule or blocked airway, when a cough or infection is not settling, when there is unexplained coughing up of blood, or when a sample is needed to confirm tuberculosis, an infection, interstitial lung disease or lung cancer.
How do I prepare for a bronchoscopy?
Come fasting for about six hours, bring previous chest X-rays, CT scans and reports, and tell the team about blood thinners, diabetes medicines and allergies. Arrange for someone to accompany you home.
Is bronchoscopy painful?
Flexible bronchoscopy is done with local anaesthetic to the throat and sedation, so it is uncomfortable rather than painful. Rigid bronchoscopy is performed under general anaesthesia.
What are the risks of bronchoscopy?
It is a commonly performed and generally safe procedure. Uncommon risks include sore throat, temporary hoarseness, minor bleeding at the biopsy site, low oxygen during the test, and rarely a collapsed lung after a biopsy. These are discussed with you before consent.
How long does recovery take?
Most patients are observed for one to two hours, take a light meal once the throat numbness wears off, and go home the same day. Normal activity usually resumes the next day.