Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy is a procedure that allows your Respirologist to pass a rigid or flexible fiberoptic camera through your nose or mouth and down into your lungs.  Using the bronchoscope, your doctor can view all of the structures that make up your respiratory system.  A bronchoscopy can be used to diagnose: lung disease, tumor, chronic cough or infection.

Bronchoscopy is performed at St. Paul’s hospital and Mount Saint Joseph Hospital.  St. Paul’s Hospital has a dedicated bronchoscopy suite and is operational five days a week. Mount Saint Joseph Hospital bronchoscopy suite operates one day a week.  The Bronchoscopy Team consists of the bronchoscopy physician, respiratory therapist and registered nurse.  The Respirology division has 7 bronchoscopy physicians, 2 of whom have specialized training in endobronchial ultrasound (linear [EBUS] and radial probe ultrasound [RP]). The bronchoscopy suite at St Paul’s Hospital participates in research studies of various respiratory disease areas such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through the Pacific Lung Research Centre. Respiratory Therapists in the operating room assist with rigid bronchoscopy for interventional procedures such as airway dilatation and/or insertion of tracheobronchial stents.

For information on research and current clinical trials, please visit the Pacific Lung Health Centre website.