Bronchoscopy

A bronchoscopy is a test to look inside the airways in your lungs.

Healthcare professionals will put a thin, flexible tube called a fibre-optic bronchoscope through your nose or mouth, down your windpipe and into your lungs. This tube has a light and a very small camera at one end to help a healthcare professional see into your airways.

You’ll have your bronchoscopy at the hospital, where you’ll be looked after by a team of healthcare professionals. Having a bronchoscopy test is very safe.

A bronchoscopy usually takes about 20 minutes.

What is an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) bronchoscopy?

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) bronchoscopy is a type of bronchoscopy that uses a special type of bronchoscope with an ultrasound. It uses the ultrasound scan to see inside your lungs and can look at areas that a usual bronchoscope cannot reach. It’s helpful for getting cell or tissue samples from outside your airways, for example from glands called lymph nodes.

An EBUS bronchoscopy usually takes longer than a general bronchoscopy and may be up to an hour.

Healthcare professionals may use a bronchoscopy to:

• take a closer look at an area of your lungs after an X-ray or lung scan have shown something that needs checking
• look into why you’re having lung symptoms that other tests have not helped explain, like a cough that does not go away for a long time
• take small samples of cells so that they can do more tests. They may do this by washing out an area of the lungs with salty water (lavage).
• take small samples of lung tissue so that they can do more tests. A lung tissue sample is called a lung biopsy.

Your doctor will explain why you’re having a bronchoscopy.

You’ll get a letter from the hospital telling you how to prepare for your bronchoscopy. It’ll tell you things to do before the test like:

• when to stop eating and drinking
• when to stop smoking if you smoke
• if and when you need to stop taking certain medicines.

Always ask a healthcare professional if you have any questions or there’s anything you do not understand. For example, they can tell you if you need to change your medicine routine before and after the test and how you can do this safely.

If you have home oxygen therapy, speak to a healthcare professional about your treatment plan after your bronchoscopy. This is because some people may need extra oxygen after the test.

Make sure you have someone who can take care of you and help you get home after the test. This is because you may feel sleepy and it’s a good idea for someone to check on you while you recover.

Speak to your GP or the healthcare professional who referred you for your bronchoscopy if you need help getting to and from the hospital. Some hospitals can organise free transport to and from the hospital.

Find out more about going into hospital, including organising transport, from the NHS.

Before the test

The medical team doing the bronchoscopy will explain to you why they’re doing it and what will happen. They’ll ask you to fill in a consent form. Ask them any questions you have and let them know if you’re feeling worried. This is because they can make changes so you’re more comfortable for the test.

Before your bronchoscopy, a nurse will check your blood pressure, heart and breathing rate and oxygen levels.

During the test

Healthcare professionals will check your breathing and oxygen levels before and after the test. During the test, you’ll have a small clip attached to your finger so that the nurse can keep checking your heart rate and oxygen levels.

You’ll be put under a local or a general anaesthetic.

• Local anaesthetic will make you more comfortable and you’ll still be able to feel things, but it will not hurt.
• General anaesthetic will make you fall into a deep sleep and you will not be aware of what is happening.

Your doctor will let you know what’s best for you. Most people have local anaesthetic for a bronchoscopy.

You may also have some medicine to make you feel sleepy and help you relax. This is called sedation.

Once you’re comfortable and the anaesthetic is working, a doctor will gently put the bronchoscope through your nose or mouth, down into your lungs.

Your doctor might flush some water through the tubing to remove cells for testing. Sometimes, they’ll also take tissue samples at the same time.

A small number of people cough or feel breathless during the test. The medical team will give you medicine to help with this if you need it.

After your bronchoscopy

You can usually go home on the same day but you’ll need to recover for an hour or two first in hospital. Some people may need extra oxygen through a mask after having a bronchoscopy.

A nurse will make sure you’re well enough to leave. They’ll check your blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels before you go.

You’ll need someone to take you home safely. Make sure you take it easy and give yourself time to recover after your bronchoscopy.

If you had a sedative, the medicine that makes you feel sleepy and relaxed, this can take around 24 hours to completely wear off.

For 24 hours after the test, you should not drive, go to work or drink alcohol. You should also avoid doing things that need a lot of focus, like signing important documents. The Royal College of Anaesthetists have more information about things to look out for after having sedation.

Some people have side effects for a few days after the test. The most common include:

• sore or dry throat
• high temperature and other flu-like symptoms
• coughing up small amounts of blood, or small amounts of blood in your spit, especially if you’ve had a lung biopsy.

Most side effects get better within 48 hours.

It usually takes a few weeks to get your results back. Your specialist team will make an appointment to discuss your results. Contact your hospital if you have not heard anything two weeks after having your bronchoscopy.

You may find it helpful to ask your specialist to copy you into any letters about your bronchoscopy that they send to your GP or other healthcare professionals. These letters may also be available on your NHS app.

People with lung conditions sometimes tell us that it can feel worrying to get referred for a test like a bronchoscopy. It may also be stressful to wait for your results after the test. It’s important to speak to someone you trust about how you’re feeling.

You can also find help and support through our:

• online communities on Health Unlocked – we have forums for people with asthma and other lung conditions to chat to each other, get support and share ideas
• support groups – we have many online and in-person support groups for people with lung conditions
• helpline – you can talk to our helpline about any aspect of your lung condition, or about how you’re feeling.

Find out more about looking after your mental health, including practical advice to improve your emotional wellbeing.