Our surgeons may examine your lungs, trachea, vocal cords or airways with a bronchoscope. A bronchoscope is a long, thin, lighted tube with fiber optic capability, which our surgeons insert under local or general anesthesia for diagnostic purposes.
Doctors may perform a bronchoscopy if you have had bleeding problems, breathing problems or a chronic cough that has not gone away. They may view the trachea, airways, vocal cords, larynx or bronchi in your lungs, and take biopsies of suspicious tissues if necessary. Children may have a bronchoscopy if they have inhaled foreign objects. Laser treatment for cancerous growths may also be performed in a bronchoscopy under general anesthesia.
Procedures vary, depending on the suspected reasons for the bronchoscopy. Local anesthesia is used for flexible bronchoscopes, introduced into the body through the nose and extended into the throat and lungs. The miniature, two-foot tube connects with an external motor and several bottles in the room, to pump out bronchial fluid or flush internal tissues. Cell biopsies may also be taken if indicated.