Fibreoptic bronchoscopy is a safe, minimally invasive procedure that lets your doctor examine your airways using a thin, flexible tube with a camera and small instruments. In some cases, it can also be used to treat issues – such as widening narrowed airways or placing a stent – right in an outpatient setting.
A thin, flexible tube with a light and camera is gently guided through your nose or mouth, past the vocal cords, and into your main airways. This allows us to get a detailed view of your airways and check for signs of inflammation, infection or cancer.
If needed, small samples of tissue or fluid (biopsies) may be taken to help guide diagnosis and treatment. In some cases, the bronchoscope can also remove a foreign body, widen a narrowed airway, or place a stent to make breathing easier.
The procedure’s designed to be safe and manageable. You’ll receive sedation to help you relax, and your medical team will be on hand to keep you comfortable and reassured throughout.
Most patients remain comfortable thanks to sedation. You may feel minor discomfort, but your breathing will not be affected, and most people find the procedure easy to tolerate.
You’ll need a blood test beforehand to check clotting, and you may need to pause or adjust blood-thinning medications. Because this is an interventional procedure, you shouldn’t eat for eight hours or drink for six hours before the test. You’ll also need to remove any dentures beforehand.
A fibreoptic bronchoscopy allows your doctor to directly examine the airways and, if needed, intervene safely. We might recommend it if you have unexplained symptoms such as a persistent cough, breathlessness, hoarseness, or notice blood when you cough. It can also be used when imaging tests like X-rays or CT scans show an abnormality that needs further investigation. It can help identify and carry out:
A minimally invasive procedure that examines the lungs and surrounding lymph nodes.
These tests provide us with a detailed evaluation of your lung function for accurate respiratory diagnosis.
A procedure that allows us to visually inspect your digestive tract to diagnose and monitor gastrointestinal conditions.