BRONCHOSCOPE

Typical Number in Hospital: 10

Cost Bands: 2,3,4

References: 2,4

This is a telescope for examining the larger airways in the lungs in the anaesthetized patient. Traditionally these have been straight tubes about 8 mm in diameter with a small electric light bulb near the end, and powered by a battery. The bronchoscope may also fit down the centre of a special cuffed endotracheal tube so that the lungs may be inflated for ease of viewing or for artificial ventilation.

Since the introduction of flexible (fibre-optic) endoscopes, new possibilities have arisen, including viewing further into the lungs. Instruments can be passed through small channels in the endoscope for excising tissue for sampling (biopsy) or for treatment. In common with other flexible endoscopes illumination is provided from a high-intensity light source through a fibre- optic bundle and the image is focused on to the end of a coherent bundle which conveys the focused light point for point to a viewing eyepiece. To achieve an image definition of 200 points by 200 points 40 000 fibres are required to be laid in exact symmetry along the length of the scope.

A bronchoscope would normally be passed during general anaesthesia.