What type of procedure is a bronchoscopy?
Bronchoscopy is a procedure that lets doctors look at your lungs and air passages. It’s usually performed by a doctor who specializes in lung disorders (a pulmonologist). During bronchoscopy, a thin tube (bronchoscope) is passed through your nose or mouth, down your throat and into your lungs.
Is bronchoscopy surgical?
Bronchoscopy is a surgical technique for viewing the interior of the airways. Using sophisticated flexible fiber optic instruments, surgeons are able to explore the trachea, main stem bronchi, and some of the small bronchi. In children, this procedure may be used to remove foreign objects that have been inhaled.
Are bronchial washings sterile?
Bronchial washings are obtained by aspiration of sterile saline solution applied near the tip of the bronchoscope (Fig. 3.14). The washings consist of a rather concentrated cellular preparation of bronchial epithelial cells and macrophages with variable amounts of inflammatory cells and mucus.
How do you disinfect a bronchoscopy?
The agent recommended for chemical disinfection of fibreoptic bronchoscopes is 2% glutaraldehyde solution; the instrument should be immersed in it for 10 to 30 minutes. Five hours’ exposure to ethylene oxide is recommended for sterilization of instruments.
How do you prepare a patient for a bronchoscopy?
How to Prepare
- Don’t eat or drink after midnight on the night before your bronchoscopy.
- If you take medication daily, ask your doctor if you should take it on the day of the procedure.
- On the day of the procedure, you’ll be asked to remove your glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, dentures, or removable bridges.
How do I prepare for a bronchoscopy?
What is a bronchoscopy wash?
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a procedure that is sometimes done during a bronchoscopy. It is also called bronchoalveolar washing. BAL is used to collect a sample from the lungs for testing. During the procedure, a saline solution is put through the bronchoscope to wash the airways and capture a fluid sample.
What is a wash biopsy?
Listen to pronunciation. (BRON-kee-ul WAH-shing) A procedure in which cells are taken from the inside of the airways that lead to the lungs. A bronchoscope (a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing) is inserted through the nose or mouth into the lungs.
Can you use sterile water for bronchoscopy?
Bronchoalveolar lavage. Bronchoalveolar lavage is performed during bronchoscopy. Sterile water is injected through the bronchoscope into a segment of the lung. The fluid is then suctioned back and sent for tests. Bronchoalveolar lavage can help diagnose infection, cancer, bleeding, and other conditions.