ABSTRACT
In the late 1890s, Gustav Killian used a rigid tube to remove an impacted piece of bone from the right mainstem bronchus of an awake 63-year-old man. Twenty years later, Chevalier Jackson popularized extensive examination and therapeutic interventions using rigid bronchoscopy. Jackson developed a rigid bronchoscope with a small light at its tip to illuminate the airways. His techniques were effective; however, they required specialized training, and only a few physicians obtained the skills required to safely perform the procedures. Awake rigid bronchoscopy is rarely practiced today. Nevertheless, rigid bronchoscopy under general anesthesia remains a valuable tool for the thoracic surgeon and is irreplaceable in certain circumstances. Bronchoscopy requires specialized skill and knowledge to safely intubate the airway, as well as the participation of an experienced anesthesiologist to manage ventilation via the rigid bronchoscope.
