Diagnostic and therapeutic airway visualisation for biopsy, foreign body removal and lavage.
Video Bronchoscopy lets the pulmonologist directly visualise the windpipe and airways using a thin flexible camera — for diagnosis (biopsy, BAL, brushings) and therapy (foreign body removal, mucus plug clearance).
Video bronchoscopy uses a thin flexible camera passed through the nose or mouth to inspect the airways directly. It is used to investigate persistent cough, haemoptysis, lung masses, non-resolving pneumonia, atelectasis and suspected endobronchial disease, and allows sampling by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB), endobronchial biopsy (EBB), brushings and washings.
With local anaesthesia and mild sedation, discomfort is minimal — patients typically feel pressure and mild coughing rather than pain.
Most diagnostic bronchoscopies are done as a day-care procedure — you can go home after 2 hours of monitoring. Admission is reserved for high-risk patients or complex sampling.
Uncommon risks include mild bleeding, transient fever, low oxygen or (with biopsy) a small pneumothorax. Monitoring and RICU back-up keep these to a minimum.
Histopathology typically takes 3–7 working days; microbiology and GeneXpert are faster (24–48 hours in most cases).
Yes — it is one of the most sensitive tests when sputum is negative, and is also used for tissue diagnosis in suspected lung cancer and interstitial lung disease.
The information above is educational and does not replace an in-person consultation. For a personalised plan, book with Dr Saurabh Bhatt (MD Pulmonology) at Samarth Chest Hospital & ICU, 4th Floor, RK Casta, Bharuch — call +91 90161 12968 or WhatsApp us.