Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy Overview

What is a Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy?

A fiberoptic bronchoscopy is a procedure provides a doctor with the means to visually examine a patient’s airways or lungs. The procedure also allows a doctor to take a biopsy (tissue samples) if needed.

During a fiberoptic bronchoscopy, a doctor will insert a very thin tube-shaped instrument down the patient’s throat via the nose or the mouth, into the airways of the lungs. The tube contains fiberoptic cable, and the tip of the tube has a very small camera attached to it. Using this camera the doctor is able to view images of the airways and lungs, and take tissue samples if they are needed. The images are transmitted via the fiberoptic cable to a video screen for easy viewing. There are several reasons why a doctor might recommend a fiberoptic bronchoscopy, including the following:

• A serious infection may prompt the procedure so that a doctor can get samples that can be tested in a laboratory to determine the cause of the infection.
• An abnormal x-ray or CT scan is often followed by a fiberoptic bronchoscopy, so that a doctor can take tissue samples and determine the cause of the abnormality.
• If a patient is coughing up blood, a bronchoscopy may be performed to determine the cause of the bleeding.
• In cases of lung collapse, a bronchoscopy helps determine what obstruction or other issue is causing the collapse.
• Abnormal or noisy breathing sounds may prompt a fiberoptic bronchoscopy to determine the source of the breathing issue.

The fiberoptic bronchoscopy procedure can provide your doctor with a great deal of important information about the airways and lungs. For this reason, a patient may have to undergo the procedure even if they have already been through an x-ray or CT scan.

Preparation, Risks, and Recovery

If you are preparing for a fiberoptic bronchoscopy as an outpatient, it’s important to remember that there are several things you should do – or not do – before the procedure. Your doctor will likely remind you that you must not eat for around eight hours before the surgery, and that you may also need to refrain from smoking or taking certain medications before the procedure.

Just before the bronchoscopy, medication to numb the nose and throat, as well as a sedative, is given to help you relax and make the procedure go more smoothly. The procedure is not painful, but you may feel as though you can’t quite catch your breath. This is normal, though, and while it may feel a bit uncomfortable, it’s not dangerous.

It’s uncommon for serious problems to occur as a result of bronchoscopy, and fewer than 5% of people will experience any serious issues. Possible serious risks include the possibility of lung collapse, or of bleeding. In most cases, people who experience these issues do so because their lung tissue is already damaged by an existing condition.

Most people will experience no lingering aftereffects, and at most will have a sore throat, cough, or aching muscles.

Need a little more information? Check the references section of this article for a fiber optic bronchoscopy diagram that will provide a quick frame of reference for how the equipment is used.

References

American Thoracic Society: Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy

Fiber Optic Bronchoscopy Diagram at MedlinePlus