Fiberoptic flexible bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy involves evaluating the major airways in the lungs with a camera that can bend in the end (fiberoptic bronchoscope). The procedure allows directly viewing the airways. The patient should have been evaluated in our department prior to bronchoscopy. Certain additional diagnostic examinations can be performed together with bronchoscopy. Bronchial lavage/bronchoalveolar lavage involves squirting liquid (physiological saline solution) into a specific region of the lung and then collected back for examination during bronchoscopy procedure. Transbronchial forceps lung biopsy involves collecting samples from lung tissue or airways with special biopsy instruments during bronchoscopy procedure. Transbronchial lymph node aspiration involves collecting biopsy from the lymph nodes surrounding the airway with a special needle during bronchoscopy procedure.

Considerations before bronchoscopy procedure: You should fast after midnight the night before the procedure. However, medication used regularly due to high blood pressure, heart disease or any other diseases can be taken with a little amount of water. Patients with high blood pressure, heart disease or neurologic disease should be evaluated by the attended department before the procedure. Blood test might be required for certain patients before the procedure. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The procedure lasts for 15-30 minutes based on the sampling procedure. The patient can leave the hospital after being observed for about 1 hour after the procedure and can eat after 2 hours. The procedure report is given right after the procedure.