bronchoscopy

A procedure that uses an endoscope (a thin, tube-like instrument with a light and lens) to examine or treat the (windpipe), bronchi and lungs.

Cells or tissues may be removed for examination under a microscope. Doctors may also use bronchoscopy to control bleeding or remove tumours or foreign bodies.

The type of endoscope used for this procedure is called a bronchoscope. A rigid bronchoscope is a hollow metal tube used for procedures that need greater access to the lungs, such as controlling bleeding or removing foreign bodies or tumours. A flexible bronchoscope is a thin tube that contains fibre-optic bundles that transmit images from a camera at the tip of the instrument. Doctors use a flexible bronchoscope to examine and collect tissue deep inside the bronchi and lungs.