Bronchoscopy in Panchkula

Looking inside the airways

Sometimes an X-ray or CT scan shows something in the lungs that needs a closer look, or a sample is needed to know exactly what's going on. Bronchoscopy lets the doctor see directly inside the windpipe and the airways of the lungs and, if needed, take small samples.

A thin, flexible tube with a camera at the tip (a bronchoscope) is passed gently through the nose or mouth, down the throat and into the airways. The images show up on a screen. The tube is about as thick as a pencil, and you can still breathe around it.

Dr. Manan Bedi has a special interest in interventional pulmonology, which is the branch of chest medicine that uses procedures like bronchoscopy for diagnosis and treatment.

Bronchoscopy and EBUS are performed at Paras Health, Panchkula, not at the Sector 20 clinic. The consultation before and the follow-up after can be at the clinic.

Why bronchoscopy may be advised

• A spot, mass or shadow on X-ray or CT that needs a diagnosis
• Coughing up blood (haemoptysis), to find where it's coming from
• Suspected TB when sputum tests are negative or no sputum comes up. See TB treatment.
• Pneumonia that isn't getting better, to identify the germ. See pneumonia.
• Interstitial lung disease, to collect fluid or tissue samples. See ILD.
• A collapsed part of the lung, which may be due to mucus plugging or a blockage
• A long cough with no clear cause after other tests
• Removing something stuck in the airway, such as an inhaled foreign body or a thick mucus plug
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the chest, which can be sampled using EBUS (endobronchial ultrasound), one of the procedures Dr. Bedi performs

What samples can be taken

• Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL): a small amount of saline is washed into part of the lung and sucked back for testing. Useful for infections, TB and ILD.
• Bronchial washings and brushings: cells collected from the airway lining.
• Biopsy: tiny pieces of tissue taken with fine forceps. You don't feel this, as the airways don't have pain nerves like the skin does.

Before the procedure

You'll get specific instructions, but generally:

• Fasting: nothing to eat or drink for about six hours before
• Blood thinners: tell us if you take aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin or any newer blood thinner. Some may need to be stopped a few days before, but only on your doctor's advice
• Diabetes: insulin or sugar tablets may need adjustment because of fasting
• Tests: blood tests (including clotting), and sometimes an ECG, are done beforehand
• Bring all your scans and reports, and a family member to accompany you home
• Don't plan to drive yourself home afterwards if sedation is given

On the day

You'll be asked to sign a consent form after the procedure, its benefits and risks have been explained. A numbing spray is used in the nose and throat, which tastes bitter and makes the throat feel thick. Most patients are given mild sedation through a vein so they're relaxed and drowsy. Oxygen levels, pulse and blood pressure are monitored throughout.

The procedure itself usually takes 20 to 45 minutes, depending on what needs to be done. Many patients remember very little of it afterwards.

After bronchoscopy

• You'll rest for an hour or two while the sedation and numbness wear off
• Don't eat or drink until the throat numbness is gone (usually 1–2 hours), to avoid choking; start with a sip of water
• A sore throat, mild cough, hoarse voice or slight fever on the same day are common and settle quickly
• Small streaks of blood in the phlegm are normal after a biopsy
• Most people go home the same day and return to normal activity the next day

Contact the doctor or go to emergency if you cough up more than a small amount of blood, have chest pain, increasing breathlessness, or a high fever.

Is bronchoscopy safe?

Flexible bronchoscopy is a commonly performed procedure with a good safety record. Serious complications are uncommon. Possible risks include bleeding after biopsy, a temporary drop in oxygen, fever, and rarely a collapsed lung (pneumothorax). Your individual risks will be discussed beforehand, especially if you have heart disease, severe lung disease or bleeding problems.

Getting the results

Visual findings are explained soon after the procedure. Laboratory results take longer: a few days for routine tests and biopsies, and longer for TB cultures. We schedule a follow-up visit to go through the results and decide the next step.

Consultation before bronchoscopy

Not everyone who is told they "may need a bronchoscopy" actually does. A consultation helps decide whether it's the right test, or whether something simpler will do. Dr. Manan Bedi sees patients at Booth 194, Sector 20, Panchkula, Monday to Saturday 5–7 PM and Sunday 11 AM–2 PM. Bring your CT scan films or CD. Call +91-99280 14284 or book online.