General information, not an individual diagnosis. Ask a healthcare professional if you are unsure about your situation.
New breathlessness without signs of respiratory distress needs medical assessment the same day. In France, call 15 or 112 immediately if it prevents you from finishing sentences or comes with bluish lips or changes in alertness. Do not wait for a planned bronchoscopy with these signs.
Bronchoscopy lets the doctor look inside the trachea and bronchi. A thin flexible tube has a light and connects to a camera. The examination provides a direct view of the walls of the airways that the instrument can reach.
The examination may also collect samples: small pieces of tissue, cells collected by brushing or secretions obtained by washing. What the doctor sees during bronchoscopy and what the laboratory analyses are two parts of the assessment. Ask which samples are planned.
The referring doctor should explain why the examination is needed. Assurance Maladie describes this technique in assessments of airway abnormalities and in some investigations for tuberculosis. Clarify the clinical question that your bronchoscopy is intended to answer.
What can be seen depends on the areas the instrument can reach. Ameli explains that bronchoscopy may be normal when a lesion is far from the accessible bronchi. The doctor therefore considers its report alongside other findings, including imaging.
Preparation is required, including instructions about fasting and smoking before the examination. Ask the team to explain its written instructions and the planned anaesthesia. Also clarify how you will receive the report and sample results: a medical discussion is needed to understand the next stage.
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