What Is Bronchoscopy?
Bronchoscopyis a procedure used to look inside the lungs' airways, called the bronchi and bronchioles. The airways carry air from the trachea to the lungs.
During the procedure, your doctor passes a thin, flexible tube called a bronchoscope through your nose (or sometimes your mouth), down your throat, and into your airways. If you have a breathing tube, the bronchoscope can be passed through the tube to your airways.
The bronchoscope has a light and small camera that allow your doctor to see your windpipe and airways and take pictures. You’ll be given medicine to make you relaxed and sleepy during the procedure.
If there's a lot of bleeding in your lungs or a large object stuck in your throat, your doctor may use a bronchoscope with a rigid tube. The rigid tube, which is passed through the mouth, is wider. This allows your doctor to see inside it more easily, treat bleeding, and remove stuck objects.
A rigid bronchoscopy usually is done in a hospital operating room using general anesthesia. The term "anesthesia" refers to a loss of feeling and awareness. General anesthesia temporarily puts you to sleep.
