Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy

A minimally invasive treatment called a bronchoscopy can be used to diagnose issues with your lungs, trachea, or airways.

A bronchoscope is a small, tube-shaped device that has a light and a viewing lens. It might also feature a tool for removing tissue so that it can be examined for illness symptoms under a microscope. The mouth or nose is used to introduce the bronchoscope. Bronchoscopy can be performed for some therapy techniques or for the detection of malignancy.

Either a rigid or flexible bronchoscope is used during the procedure. Compared to rigid bronchoscopy, flexible bronchoscopy is more frequently performed and typically doesn't require general anesthesia.

Bronchoscopy Treatments

• To See If Your Airway Contains Any Foreign Objects.
• To Observe Any Abnormal Alterations In The Lungs, Such As Tumors Or Tissue Scarring
• To Determine The Cause Of Your Bloody Cough.
• To Perform A Biopsy On The Lymph Nodes Close To Your Lungs.
• To Check For Low Oxygen Levels Or Dyspnea.
• To Determine The Reason Of A Cough That Has Persisted For More Than Three Months.
• To Cure A Poisonous gas or substance that has been inhaled.

What dangers come with having a bronchoscopy?

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Collapse Of The Lungs

Why is it done? (Bronchoscopy Indications)

Bronchoscopy can be a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. This process is known as diagnostic because it helps us determine whether or not there are any diseases affecting your respiratory system, such as lung cancer, infections, inflammation, or hemoptysis. When a pulmonologist performs a technique on the airways with the goal of treating a foreign body, extracting mucus plugs, eliminating a central airway obstruction caused by malignancy, or implanting an airway stent, it is referred to as therapeutic.

How can You get ready for the test of bronchoscopy?

Prior to your scheduled appointment

• If you have bleeding issues or take blood-thinning medications like aspirin, clopidogrel, or warfarin
• You should let the medical personnel know so that their dosage can be changed.
• If you are taking any medications, particularly for diabetes or hypertension (insulin)
• You should let the medical professionals know.
• If you have an allergy to any medications, including anesthetics, you should let your doctors know.

On the day

• Four to six hours prior to your session, you will be requested to refrain from eating or drinking anything.
• You will take all of your prescribed drugs as usual, along with a little water.
• You will be taken to Neelam Hospital.
• There can be a wait before your procedure when you go to the department, so bring something to read or do to kill time.

What is the Procedure of Bronchoscopy? What is a bronchoscopy?

• You will be made comfortable on the bed in the examination room, either lying down or semi-erected.
• A nurse will insert a cannula into a vein on your hand or arm to administer a sleeping injection, which will induce relaxation and drowsiness.
• You might have vague memories of what transpired, but most of the time you won't.
• You will be sprayed with a local anesthetic in the back of your throat.
• Your throat gets numb from this.
• It is more comfortable to have the tube in your nose since local anesthetic jelly is put into your nostrils.
• More local anesthetic is administered to numb the larynx (voice box) while the bronchoscope passes through your nose.
• You could cough a little as a result. Your throat will relax as the local anesthetic takes action.
• A soft plastic tube may be inserted just inside your nostrils to give you more oxygen. Your finger will be fitted with a plastic "peg" to track your oxygen saturation and pulse.
• To get samples and perform a biopsy, the physician may also insert tiny devices (such as a needle or forceps) and sterile normal saline through the bronchoscope.
• Both the TBNA test and the biopsy (TBLB, EBB) are totally painless.
• Depending on what is discovered and done during the test, the bronchoscopy may take longer than the typical fifteen to twenty minutes.

What takes place following a bronchoscopy?

Following the bronchoscopy, you may experience a mild bleeding of the nose. You may notice blood streaks in your phlegm if biopsies have been performed. This is very common and usually goes away in a day.It is entirely normal to have a hoarse voice or sore throat, and these symptoms normally go away in a day or two.

Eating and drinking:

• Because your throat will still be numb from the bronchoscopy
• You will be advised to refrain from eating or drinking for approximately two hours following the procedure.
• Until complete sensation returns, it is unsafe to eat or drink.
• After the bronchoscopy, you will be taken to a recovery area while the sedation wears off.
• You will be admitted to the ward after you are alert enough, which could happen up to an hour after the test.
• If you are discharged from hospital within 24 hours of your procedure you are advised not to drive, operate machinery
• Return to work, drink alcohol or sign any legally binding documents.
• Additionally, you should have a competent adult accompany you for the next twelve hours.

Check-ups and results:

• After the bronchoscopy, as soon as you are awake from sedation, the doctor will be able to inform you of your results if no biopsy is performed.
• The doctor will need a few days to process the tissue in our labs before they can provide you with a final verdict if a biopsy is performed.
• If you experience any issues following the bronchoscopy procedure, such as chest pain, breathing difficulties, or significant bleeding with coughing, you should notify the medical staff.