Bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsy

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Bronchoscope

Bronchoscopy

(Page 2)

Arrange for transportation to and from the hospital. Many people want to rest the following day, so make arrangements for work, child care, or other obligations.

Local numbing medicine (anesthesia) is used to relax your throat muscles. You may feel fluid running down the back of your throat, and the need to cough or gag until the anesthetic takes effect.

Even with the anesthesia, you may feel pressure or mild tugging as the tube moves through the trachea. Many patients experience a feeling of suffocation when the tube is in the throat, but there is no risk of suffocation. Try to remain calm. If you cough during the test, more anesthetic will be added.

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An x-ray is often taken after the bronchoscope is removed. When the anesthetic wears off, your throat may be scratchy for several days. After the test, your cough reflex will return in 1 - 2 hours. Once that happens, you can eat and drink normally.

It is common after a transbronchial biopsy to cough up small amounts of bloody phlegm (sputum) for a day. The health care provider will tell you who to contact if you cough up large amounts of blood.

A transbronchial biopsy is most often performed for:

• Diffuse infiltrative pulmonary disease
• Rejection of a transplanted lung
• Tumors

Review Date: 09/13/2008
Reviewed By: Benjamin Medoff, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).