Service
Bronchoscopy
Bronchoscopy lets us look directly inside your airways using a thin, flexible tube with a camera at its tip. It is one of the most valuable tools in chest medicine — used both to find the cause of a problem and, often, to treat it in the same sitting.
When it is recommended
- A persistent cough or unexplained breathlessness
- Coughing up blood (haemoptysis)
- An abnormal shadow or mass on a chest X-ray or CT scan
- Suspected infection such as tuberculosis
- Suspected lung cancer that needs a tissue sample
- A blocked airway, mucus plugging or an inhaled foreign body
What it can do
Through the bronchoscope we can inspect the airways in detail and, in the same procedure, take biopsies, collect washings (bronchoalveolar lavage) and brushings for the laboratory, clear thick secretions, or retrieve a foreign object.
What to expect
The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia with light sedation, so you stay comfortable throughout. The back of the throat is numbed, the scope is passed gently through the nose or mouth, and the examination usually takes 20–30 minutes. You are monitored the whole time and rest in recovery afterwards.
Getting ready
- You will be asked not to eat or drink for a few hours beforehand
- Tell us about blood-thinning medicines, diabetes medication and allergies
- Arrange for someone to take you home, as sedation can leave you drowsy
Is it safe?
Flexible bronchoscopy is a safe, routine procedure. A mild sore throat or a little blood-streaked phlegm for a day is normal; serious complications are uncommon, and we take every precaution to keep the procedure smooth and comfortable.