Bronchoscopy

A bronchoscopy is a procedure that lets your doctor see inside your airways and lungs.

A thin, flexible tube with a camera and light on the end (called a bronchoscope) is put in your nose or mouth. It is then passed through your windpipe into your airways.

Your doctor may recommend a bronchoscopy to help diagnose:

• a lung condition
• an infection in your airways
• lung cancer

A bronchoscopy can also be used to help treat some lung conditions, including some lung cancers, or to remove a foreign object or mucus from your airways.

Sometimes your doctor may recommend a bronchoscopy if a chest x-ray or imaging test showed an abnormal result.

A bronchoscopy is normally done under mild sedation. This means that you will be awake but feel relaxed and drowsy (sleepy) during the procedure. Sometimes, depending on your medical conditions, you may have a general anaesthetic for your bronchoscopy.

Before the procedure, your doctor may give you a local anaesthetic spray. This is to numb the back of your nose and throat.

Your doctor will put the bronchoscope (thin tube with a light and camera on the end) into your nose or mouth. They will then guide the tube down your windpipe along your airways.

The bronchoscope lets your doctor see inside your airways and take samples of lung tissue (biopsies). They may take samples using a small brush or a needle.

Sometimes, fluid may be injected into your airways and sucked back through the bronchoscope. This can help detect cancer cells or an infection in the airways.

Imaging, such as ultrasound or x-ray, may be used to guide the bronchoscope.

It might feel slightly uncomfortable to have the tube inserted. The procedure normally takes about 35 minutes. You will be able to breathe during the bronchoscopy.

Your healthcare team will give you instructions to help you prepare before your bronchoscopy.

Your preparation may include:

• medical tests — such as a chest x-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG) or blood test
• adjusting your dose or pausing your blood thinning medicines
• fasting

The specific instructions will depend on your personal situation. It is important to ask your doctor how to prepare, and be sure to let them know if you take regular medicines.

It is common to feel a little anxious before your bronchoscopy. You may find it helpful to share how you feel with your healthcare team or someone you trust before your bronchoscopy.

Read more about preparing for surgery.

After the bronchoscopy, you will spend some time in a recovery ward, waiting for the anaesthetic or sedation to wear off.

For a few days after your procedure, you might experience some discomfort, have a sore throat or have a cough.

Bronchoscopy is a safe procedure. In rare cases, it can cause some of the following complications:

• bleeding
• infection
• difficulty breathing afterwards
• heart complications
• pneumothorax (air around the lung causing it to collapse)

It is important to know that your healthcare team is trained to manage any complication. They will monitor you closely during and after your bronchoscopy to help prevent complications and to quickly address any issue that arises.

Depending on why you need to have a bronchoscopy, other tests may be available. These can sometimes include imaging tests or a biopsy. Sometimes, alternative tests won't provide the same information or be as effective as a bronchoscopy.

If you would like to explore other options, speak with your doctor. They can discuss your situation and explain if there are alternative tests that may be suitable for you.

If you decide to delay or not have a bronchoscopy, the effect on your health will depend on why your doctor recommended the procedure. 

Delaying diagnosis may affect how your doctor manages your health and symptoms. In some cases, you may not get the treatment you need. This could cause health problems later on.

Learn more about bronchoscopy (Opens in new tab) at St Vincent's Hospital Lung Health.

Read more about your lung health at Lung Foundation Australia (Opens in new tab).

Visit Queensland Health to read more about preparing your child for a bronchoscopy (Opens in new tab).

Languages other than English

The National Lung Cancer Screening Program (Opens in new tab) has translated information about their program into many community languages.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

Lung Foundation Australia has lung health information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.