Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine your child’s throat, larynx, trachea, and lower airways through a tool called a bronchoscope. Bronchoscopy may be done to diagnose problems with your child’s airway, lungs, or lymph nodes.

How Boston Children’s Hospital approaches bronchoscopy

A certified staff bronchoscopist and a pulmonary fellow perform bronchoscopies. Boston Children's provides full anesthesia, nursing, and technical support.

• At Boston Children’s, a bronchoscopy is used to diagnose problems with your child’s airway, lungs, or lymph nodes, includingcystic fibrosis.

• It's also used to take fluid and tissue samples from the lung.

Other procedures include whole lung lavage, airway dilation, airway stent placement, and removal and/or biopsy of airway lesions.

Will my child need anesthesia?

Uncomplicated procedures are performed using local sedation in ourGastroenterology Procedure Unit.

More technically challenging procedures are performed in the hospital operating room suite, where rooms are fully staffed by an anesthesiologist and O.R. nurses. Your child will likely receive general anesthesia.