Bronchoscopy (more accurately tracheobronchoscopy) refers to the endoscopy of the trachea (windpipe) and bronchial tree of the lungs using an endoscope. This is a thin, flexible, tube-shaped instrument with an integrated light source.
Indications (areas of application)
- Suspected tumors
- Suspicion of persistent inflammatory changes
- Foreign body removal due toforeign body aspiration (in children mainly fragments of seeds and peanuts and cashews and almonds).
- Search for a source of bleeding
- Laser therapy for tumors
- Insertion of stents (medical implant placed in hollow organs to keep them open) for stenosis (narrowing) of the airways
The surgical procedure
Bronchoscopy is both a diagnostic and a treatment procedure. In order to get a good overview of the airways, special endoscopes with light, optical and working channels are used.
The tip of these flexible tubes can be angled in all directions so that almost all areas can be viewed. An important advantage of bronchoscopy is that the examiner can immediately take samples from suspicious areas, which are then examined in more detail by a pathologist.
In addition to these flexible endoscopes, rigid bronchoscopes are still available.
Bronchoscopy with a flexible bronchoscope is possible while the patient is awake and possibly slightly sedated; rigid bronchoscopy is usually performed during anesthesia.
Possible complications
- Injury to the larynx or perforation (puncture) of the trachea or bronchi are very rare
- When lung tissue is removed (biopsy), collapse of the lung (pneumothorax) may occur in rare cases.
- Occasionally, heavier bleeding (secondary bleeding) is possible, for example, in or after tissue removal (biopsy), which make hemostasis (eg, injection with hemostatic drugs) necessary.
- After bronchoscopy, swallowing difficulties and hoarseness may occur. These complaints usually disappear after a few hours or days by themselves. Very rarely, however, permanent voice disorders (hoarseness) and shortness of breath may occur as a result of vocal cord injury.
- Laryngospasm (spasm of the glottis), which occurs very rarely, may require intubation (insertion of a tube (a hollow tube) for artificial respiration) or tracheotomy.
- Tooth damage from the endoscope or bite ring is rare.
- Infections, after which severe life-threatening complications concerning heart, circulation, respiration, etc. occur, are very rare. Similarly, permanent damage (e.g., paralysis) and life-threatening complications (e.g., sepsis/blood poisoning) after infections are very rare (15.6 patients have severe infections per 1,000 examinations).
