A bronchoscopy can be described as a technique that is used for both diagnostic and treatment purposes. During this procedure, a doctor inserts an instrument known as a bronchoscope into your airways through your nose, mouth or tracheostomy. This allows the examiner to check for signs of inflammation, bleeding, tumors, foreign bodies and other similar problems.
Some of the conditions that can be identified with the help of this procedure include -
The medical conditions that can be treated with the help of a bronchoscopy include -
The instruments used during the procedure can be of two types. These include the rigid bronchoscope and the flexible fiber-optic bronchoscope. Most doctors prefer the second type of instrument, because it is much easier to use. While a flexible fiber-optic bronchoscopy can be conducted without any anesthesia, doctors opt for a partial sedation. On the other hand, rigid bronchoscopy requires general anesthesia and a good anesthesiologist.
A bronchoscopy is a fairly well-tolerated procedure, which is considered safe even for kids and infants. However, some of the possible complications of bronchoscopy in children may include -
In case you are scheduled to undergo this procedure, it is highly recommended that you speak to your doctor about the possible complications of bronchoscopy. Fortunately, the complications associated with this technique are rare and relatively minor. Some of the more common complications of a bronchoscopy include -
These are minor complications that usually get resolved on their own. However, in a few cases, patients may experience more severe complications of a bronchoscopy, which include -
Under normal circumstances, you will be allowed to go home in about 3 to 4 hours after the bronchoscopy is over. However, in case you experience any of the severe complications mentioned above, your doctor may hospitalize you overnight, for close observation.
References