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Last updated: 11/24/2009
The patient should fast for six to 12 hours prior to the procedure and refrain from drinking any liquids the day of the procedure. Smoking should be avoided for 24 hours prior to the procedure and patients should also avoid taking any aspirin...
or ibuprofen-type medications. The bronchoscopy itself takes about 45–60 minutes. Prior to the bronchoscopy, several tests are usually done, including a chest x ray and blood work. Sometimes a bronchoscopy is done under general anesthesia, in which case the patient will have an intravenous (IV) line in the arm. More commonly, the procedure is performed under local anesthesia, which is sprayed into the nose or mouth. This is necessary to inhibit the gag reflex. A sedative also may be given. A signed consent form is necessary for this procedure.
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Bronchoscopy is a technique of visualizing the inside of the airways for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. An instrument (bronchoscope) is inserted into the airways, usually through the nose or mouth, or occasionally through a tracheostomy. This allows the practitioner to examine the patient's airways for abnormalities such as foreign bodies, bleeding, tumors, or inflammation. Specimens may be taken from inside the lungs: biopsies, fluid (bronchoalveolar lavage), or endobronchial brushing. The construction of bronchoscopes ranges from rigid metal tubes with attached lighting devices to flexible fibreoptic instruments with realtime video equipment.
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