Advances in bronchoscopic procedures

Bronchoscopy is currently the most commonly employed invasive procedure in the practice of pulmonary medicine. Both the rigid and flexible bronchoscop es are used to diagnose and treat various pulmonary disorders. The main dia gnostic indications include pulmonary involvement by neoplasms, infections, diffuse lung diseases,and airway problems. Bronchoscopic needle aspiration remains an underutilized technique in the staging of lung cancer. Newer te chniques such as bronchoscopic ultrasound appear promising and may lead to improved diagnostic yield from bronchoscopic procedures. The bronchoscope i s used in application of laser therapy, brachytherapy, electrocautery, cryo therapy, placement of airway stents, and balloon dilatation to relieve airw ay obstruction caused by malignant and benign airway lesions.