Tag Archives: bronchoscopy

Print Release, Pulmonology

PUBLISHED: Endobronchial Ultrasound Bronchoscopy-Guided Biopsy for Lymphoma

Endobronchial Ultrasound Bronchoscopy-Guided Biopsy for Lymphoma
Don Kim, MD1; Vigen Janoyan, MD2; Yu Maw Htwe, MD1
1RWJBarnabas-Rutgers Medical Group
2Institute of Surgery after A. Mikaelyan, RA

Endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy (EBUS) is a minimally invasive and widely utilized endoscopic technique that enables real-time ultrasound visualization of mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes adjacent to the tracheobronchial tree, allowing tissue sampling under direct sonographic guidance. Accessible nodal stations include 1, 2R/L, 3P, 4R/L, 7, 10R/L, and 11R/L; however, stations 5 and 6 are technically more challenging and associated with a higher risk of complications due to their proximity to the aorta and pulmonary vessels.

EBUS can be used for diagnostic, staging, and restaging purposes, particularly in conditions such as lymphoma and sarcoidosis, as demonstrated in the accompanying video. Its diagnostic yield varies according to the underlying pathology and nodal characteristics, and the diagnostic sensitivity for specific diseases is outlined below.

General Surgery, Print Release, Thoracic Surgery

PUBLISHED: Flexible Bronchoscopy and Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL)

Flexible Bronchoscopy and Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL)
Marcus S. Alpert, MD; Yu Maw Htwe, MD
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Flexible bronchoscopy is a commonly utilized endoscopic procedure allowing for direct visualization of the airways, as well as a variety of therapeutic and diagnostic interventions. Common indications of flexible bronchoscopy include evaluation of pulmonary infiltrates, hemoptysis, airway obstruction, foreign body aspiration, tracheal stenosis, bronchopleural fistula, and post-lung transplant.

The procedure involves the insertion of a flexible bronchoscope through the vocal cords and into the lumen of the trachea and bronchi. Direct visualization is provided by fiberoptic video imaging. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) further refers to instillation and subsequent recovery of sterile saline into the airways. In this article, we will detail the technique, considerations, and complications of flexible bronchoscopy and BAL.