The procedure generally involves the following steps:
1. Preparation: The patient may be given a sedative or general anesthesia to ensure comfort. Local anesthesia is also applied to numb the throat. 2. Insertion: The bronchoscope is carefully inserted through the nose or mouth and advanced down the throat into the airways. 3. Examination and Biopsy: The doctor examines the airways and takes biopsies if suspicious areas are found. Additional procedures, such as bronchoalveolar lavage (washing fluid into and out of the airways to collect cells), may also be performed. 4. Completion: The bronchoscope is gently removed, and the patient is monitored as the sedation wears off.
