Patient Guide to Testing - Bronchoscopy
1. Bronchoscopy
Bronchoscopy is a procedure that involves the physician inserting a special scope into your nose to look down into your lungs. This is an outpatient procedure that is done while you are awake, but sedated. You cannot eat or drink anything after midnight before your bronchoscopy. That morning an IV will be started to give you your sedation. You will also need for someone to drive you home after the procedure.
Advantages:
Advantages to the bronchoscopic biopsy include the physician being able to directly visualize the inside of the lung and a total outpatient stay of 6 to 8 hours.
Side effects:
Side effects include a small risk of infection and bleeding. There is also a small risk of collapsing part of the lung.
What to expect after the procedure:
You may cough up some blood for 1-2 days because of the bleeding from the biopsy site. The sedation will make you drowsy for up to 12 hours, so driving must be avoided. It is common to have a mild fever after the procedure.
What to report to your physician:
- Coughing up a large amount of blood (more than a cup)
- Fever more than 101 degrees
- Chest pain
- New shortness of breath
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