Flexible Bronchoscopy
What is Flexible Bronchoscopy ?
Flexible bronchoscopy is a procedure that allows a clinician to examine the breathing passages (airways) of the lungs. Flexible bronchoscopy can be either a diagnostic procedure (to find out more about a possible problem) or a therapeutic procedure (to try to treat an existing problem).
What are the reasons to do Flexible Bronchoscopy ?
Common reasons for bronchoscopy include the following:
- Unexplained symptoms related to the chest, such as persistent cough, coughing up blood, wheezing, hoarseness, noisy breathing, or shortness of breath. The airways are examined for signs of problems and samples of tissue (biopsies) or fluid can be taken and examined for evidence of infection
- Persistent lung collapse (atelectasis) or collapse of the small air sacs in the lungs is sometimes evaluated using bronchoscopy. This may reveal a blockage, called an obstruction, from thick mucus, a foreign body, or a tumor. If possible, the clinician removes the cause of the obstruction to open the airways. Biopsies of abnormal tissue may be taken
- An abnormal chest x-ray may suggest problems that require closer inspection with bronchoscopy. Examples include a “spot” or mass, pneumonia, or other unexplained changes on chest x-ray or computed tomography (CT) scans.
The procedure
Sedation and anesthesia — Bronchoscopy can be done in a special procedure suite, in an operating room, or, if needed, in another area of the hospital such as the intensive care unit. In most cases, intravenous (IV) sedative medications are given before the procedure to make you feel drowsy and relaxed. Sometimes general anesthesia may be used, in which case you will be unconscious for the entire procedure. The back of the throat may be treated with a local anesthetic spray. This helps to prevent coughing and gagging during the procedure.
Bronchoscope placement — During bronchoscopy, a thin tube called a bronchoscope is placed in the nose or mouth. The bronchoscope has a very small camera at its tip that displays pictures on a video screen or camera. The bronchoscope will be placed into either the nose or the mouth, then advanced slowly down the back of the throat, through the vocal cords and into the airways.
Rigid Bronchoscopy
What is Rigid Bronchoscopy ?
A rigid bronchoscope is a metallic tube like equipment through which an optical telescope is passed for visualizing the airway. The procedure is gone under complete general anaesthesia and hence it gives an excellent image of the airway.
The Procedure
After the child is sedated and given general anaesthesia, the rigid bronchoscope is introduced through the mouth of the child and gradually advanced to the voice box or the larynx and then into the windpipe or the trachea of the child. Thereafter a proper examination of the airways is done on both the sides.
Rigid bronchoscopy is frequently combined with a flexible bronchoscopy to acquire and maintain better distal airway visualization and suctioning.
When is this procedure performed ?
The most common indication of performing a rigid bronchoscopy in children is an old and badly stuck foreign body, a sharp foreign body or a foreign body in the voice box or larynx which cannot be removed with a flexible bronchoscope. Other indications of doing a rigid bronchoscopy are performing cryo-lung biopsy, closure of a trachea-esophageal fistula, airway recanalization using coring & balloon dilatation and placing a stent in the airway.