ABSTRACT
The bronchoscope is an endoscopic device that, when inserted into the airways, allows endoluminal and mucosal visualization of the airways. Bronchoscopy enables sampling of secretions, endobronchial mucosa, lung parenchyma, and pulmonary nodules, as well as therapeutic interventions such as foreign body removal, tumor debulking, stent insertion, lung volume reduction for the treatment of advanced emphysema, and bronchial thermoplasty for severe refractory asthma. The amalgamation of ultrasound technology into bronchoscopes in recent years allows detailed visualization of the layers of the airway wall, as well as extraluminal structures adjacent to the airway wall such as lymph nodes, mass lesions, and blood vessels guiding real-time tissue sampling. Both the diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities of bronchoscopy are expanding, widening the role of this essential tool for the pulmonologist in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disease.
