Bronchoscopy

What is a bronchoscopy?

A bronchoscopy is a medical procedure that helps diagnose lung disease. During a bronchoscopy, your doctor uses a small camera to see inside your lungs to look at the airways anatomy and how well they are working. 

A scope (thin tube) is passed through your mouth or nose and into your windpipe. This lets your doctor view your airways and take a biopsy of lung tissue of suspicious areas if necessary. A bronchoscopy also may be used to treat a lung problem, such as removing fluid buildup, treating cancer, washing out an airway.

Who needs a bronchoscopy?

Your provider may refer you for a bronchoscopy if you have:

• Long-lasting cough
• Infection
• Unexpected results from a chest x-ray, CT scan or other tissue or imaging test

What are the side effects of having a bronchoscopy?

It is not often that people suffer from problems with a bronchoscopy. When there are problems, they are usually not severe and could include any of the following:

• Light bleeding
• Damage to the lung or airway
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Muscle aches
• Small cough

Are there complications with bronchoscopies?

Complications are rare, but if you experience any of the following symptoms let your doctor know right away:

• Have a fever longer than 3 days
• Chest pain gets worse
• Breathing is difficult
• Coughing up blood
• A collapsed lung from air in the chest cavity    

How can I prepare for a bronchoscopy?

Your doctor may ask you to do one or several of the following things before your procedure:

• Don’t eat or drink for 8 hours before the procedure
• Stop taking blood thinning medications
• Remove hearing aids, dentures, contact lenses, or glasses
• Arrange for someone to drive you home after the procedure

What can I expect during the bronchoscopy?

On the day of the procedure you can expect these events:

• An anesthetic will numb your throat and/or nose
• You may be awake for the procedure
• The camera is attached to a tube and will be carefully moved down your throat and into your lung passages
• After the procedure your throat and mouth will regain feeling and you can drink water

What can a bronchoscopy diagnose?

• Abnormal changes in lung tissue
• Shortness of breath
• Foreign objects in the airway

When can I expect results from the bronchoscopy?

The results of a bronchoscopy usually take 1-3 days. Your doctor will discuss these results with you and form a treatment plan if needed.