Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is a safe, minimally invasive procedure that combines bronchoscopy with ultrasound to examine your airways from within. EBUS helps us to locate and investigate abnormal tissue in the airways, providing key information for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. The procedure is outpatient-based, and sedation is an option to make sure you’re comfortable throughout.
A bronchoscope is inserted into your airways, and an ultrasound transducer is passed down to provide detailed images from inside. If anything looks abnormal, we can take a tissue sample for laboratory analysis to aid diagnosis. Your oxygen levels will be monitored throughout, and oxygen can be supplied if needed.
The procedure itself takes about 30 minutes, but preparation, sedation, and recovery mean you should allow three to four hours in total. You’ll need someone to accompany you home, and we recommended that you avoid eating or drinking for at least two hours afterward until the throat anaesthetic has worn off.
Most patients don’t find the procedure very painful at all. A local anaesthetic numbs the back of your throat, which may feel a bit sore afterward. If you choose sedation, you’ll be awake but relaxed, likely remembering very little of the procedure.
EBUS is used to diagnose conditions such as sarcoidosis, tuberculosis and lung cancer. It also helps us to determine the stage of lung cancer, showing the position and extent of tumours so we can plan the most effective and targeted treatment.
We use it to identify and assess conditions such as:
A minimally invasive procedure that allows us to examine your airways to detect and treat respiratory issues.
These tests provide us with a detailed evaluation of your lung function for accurate respiratory diagnosis.
These tests give us a quick and accurate assessment of your heart’s rhythm and electrical activity.