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Flexible Bronchoscopy treatment in Dhakuria

Flexible Bronchoscopy

Flexible bronchoscopy Treatment in Dhakuria

Flexible Bronchoscopy is a minimally invasive medical procedure used to assess the lung airways. By inserting a thin, flexible tube known as a bronchoscope through the mouth or nose, tissue samples can be collected and the airways can be examined. This device can also function as a camera, transmitting images to a monitor for further analysis. Typically, patients undergo sedation or local anaesthesia during the procedure to improve their tolerance. This technique is crucial for accurately diagnosing respiratory diseases and developing effective treatment plans. It is also effective in removing foreign objects from the lower respiratory airways of adults. In the treatment of respiratory conditions, Flexible Bronchoscopy is essential, as it offers vital diagnostic information and enables targeted treatment.

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FAQ's

Flexible Bronchoscopy has various applications, including both diagnosing and treating medical conditions.

  • Diagnosis: A Bronchoscopy can be used to biopsy lymph nodes, diagnose lung infections or toxic gas inhalation, monitor lung transplant rejection, identify foreign objects in the airways, and diagnose the cause of coughing up blood, shortness of breath, and low oxygen levels

  • Treatment: Bronchoscopy is used to treat lung or airway issues by draining abscesses, dilating obstructed airways, removing fluid or mucus plugs, extracting foreign objects, and administering cancer treatments

Your healthcare team adheres to the following protocols during the procedure: 

  • Your doctor will guide you through each step of the process and provide explanations if you are alert and aware.

  • Most likely, you'll be lying down with your head slightly elevated.

  • Throughout the process, essential signs such as blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and heart rate are consistently monitored

  • The doctor will numb the back of your throat by spraying some local anaesthetic

  • The bronchoscope is inserted into the airways through the vocal cords, down the throat, through the mouth, or through the nose

  • A camera attached to a monitor helps monitor the bronchoscope introduction through the mouth or nose into the windpipe, enabling the physician to examine the lining of the airway

  • Additional procedures like Biopsy or Bronchial Lavage may be carried out if necessary

  • Though it varies from person to person, it typically lasts between fifteen and sixty minutes

The bronchoscope will be carefully guided through your vocal cords, into your airways, and towards the back of your throat. While you may not experience pain, you may feel slight discomfort. Our medical team will do their best to make you comfortable. Tools may be inserted through the bronchoscope for procedures and to collect tissue and fluid samples. If you experience any discomfort in your shoulders, back, or chest, inform your doctor about it. Overall, you should not be in any pain.

A specialist in ear, nose, and throat surgery may employ Rigid Bronchoscopy to enable the use of unique instruments that are not accessible through a Flexible Bronchoscope to address a problem with the airway. In some cases, specialised X-ray techniques (such as CT scans or MRIs) are used to diagnose airway issues. Your doctor will strive to perform the least invasive and most effective procedure or examination for the patient’s benefit.

After the bronchoscopy, your throat will stay numb for two hours. During this time, please refrain from consuming any food or beverages. It is recommended to have someone accompany you home and stay with you for a full day until the numbness wears off. Most individuals can resume their normal daily routines after a day.

Bronchoscopy is typically a safe procedure, but there may be a higher risk in certain cases, depending on the type and severity of the illness.

  • Reduced oxygen level: Flexible bronchoscopy may have an impact on the amount of oxygen delivered, particularly in children who breathe on their own or through a breathing tube. During the surgery, doctors intend to keep oxygen levels within a healthy range.

  • Bleeding: Minimal bleeding may result from fragile airway linings. Normally, this bleeding will cease by itself. Although severe bleeding is uncommon, it can be managed. 

  • Air leak: A bronchoscopy-related lung injury may allow air to seep into the chest wall, which could impair heart and lung function. Emergency measures may be necessary to release the trapped air.

  • Additional risks: Heart rhythm or rate abnormalities may occur in individuals with heart disorders. Bronchospasm, like asthma, is uncommon but can be effectively treated if it does happen.

After a Flexible Bronchoscopy, patients may experience a sore throat, a hoarse voice, minor coughing with traces of blood, and a potential fever for up to 24 hours. They need to avoid eating or drinking until the local anaesthetic wears off, which usually takes about an hour. While there may be some bleeding from the nose or throat, it typically subsides quickly. Patients can resume their normal daily routines soon after the procedure, but they may be advised to limit strenuous activities temporarily.