Bronchoscopy refers to a fundamental diagnostic tool developed to investigate the airways and lungs in detail so that some useful insights into the respiratory tract can be gained. The examination is performed by placing a bronchoscope, a thin, flexible tube containing a camera and light—through the nostrils or mouth and then down through the trachea into the bronchi. Ideally, the patient is sedated at bronchoscopy for basic comfort and a soft feeling to lessen discomfort while undergoing the procedure. The bronchoscope is advanced gently through the throat and into the lungs. Real-time airway images transmitted on a monitor—visualized with an end-mounted, high-definition camera at the tip of the bronchoscope—may help the physician see structures inside much more closely. This may help detect some types of abnormality, such as inflammations, tumors, or blockages. Bronchoscopy can also be combined with a vast number of therapeutic interventions. Bronchoscopy can check on the organisms causing the respiratory infection. In the detection of tumors, besides obtaining specimens for histological diagnosis, sometimes it also helps to identify tumors. Sometimes, it may even facilitate the treatment of chronic coughs, although the causes have not been resolved by other methods to find the reason for the cough.
Besides being diagnostic, the function that is done on a bronchoscope assists in the staging of cancers, an important step before initiation of treatment plans. Bronchoscopy provides direct visualization and affords the performance of many interventions; it improves integral respiratory care by allowing personalized and timely treatments. It is usually undertaken in an outpatient setting, and the majority of the patients recover quite quickly and get back to normal activities almost immediately.