Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy procedure is generally performed for detecting the reasons behind the lung problems. For instance, the doctor might do this procedure if a patient is experiencing persistent cough. Here are some of the reasons explaining why bronchoscopy procedure is done:

• Lung problem diagnosis
• Lung infection identification
• Tissue biopsy from the lung
• Mucus removal, or other obstruction in the lung airways like tumour
• Small tube placement to hold open an airway
• Lung problem treatment like bleeding or a collapsed lung

The healthcare provider will give certain instructions to the patient for how to be prepared for the bronchoscopy test. The patient is asked to fast for a sometime before the procedure. He/she is also asked to stop medication which can cause blood thinning such as warfarin. Since the procedure is initiated with giving anaesthesia, hence it is recommended to get someone along who can drive the patient afterwards.

The complete bronchoscopy procedure generally takes around 30 minutes to a few hours. During a procedure, the patient is asked to lie down on the table. The healthcare expert begins the procedure with inserting an IV to the arm to give sedatives. Numbing spray is applied to the throat or nose by the provider. After the area is numb and the patient is sedated, the healthcare professional starts bronchoscope insertion through the mouth or nose and down into the patient’s windpipe to the lungs. Once the procedure is done, the bronchoscope is removed. The healthcare team ensures monitoring the patient’s condition until he/she is fully awake.

Since bronchoscopy is an outpatient procedure, the patient is required to spend at least a night in the hospital. However, it also depends on how the patient responds to the procedure. If the doctor finds everything is fine, then the patient can go home within a few hours of the procedure. The healthcare team makes sure to assess the patients while he/she is breathing and swallowing. It takes around a few hours for the numbness in the throat to vanish off. The patient might experience sore throat, hoarseness, or cough for sometime after the procedure is done.

The healthcare team informs the patients by when they can expect the test results and accordingly ensures scheduling a follow-appointment.

There are some bronchoscopy complications which patients should be mindful of such as:

• Lung collapse
• Infection
• Bleeding

BM Birla Heart Research Centre is the only hospital offering cardiac services across the eastern region including other services like pulmonology. The hospital is equipped with the most professional and experienced cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, pulmonologists, and other healthcare staff members. With the assistance of the state-of-the art technology and other advanced clinical equipment, we have been offering the most reliable and economical health services to the patients.

If your doctor has recommended a bronchoscopy procedure and you are looking for the best hospital, then we are your go-to solution. Our skilled healthcare professionals will ensure diagnosing the condition and offering the treatment for you that’s appropriate for you depending on the condition.