International Journal of Medicine Research

author(s)
Ghanim Khaleel Qasim AL-Allaf, Abdulrazzaq Yaseen Mohammed AL Hobaity

Abstract
Anesthesia for bronchoscopy poses unique challenges for the anesthesiologist. By definition, bronchoscopy is an endoscopic technique to visualize the inside of the airways for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This procedure needs specific technical precision because both the anesthesiologist and operator share the same working space, that is, the airway. Advances in technology and instrumentation have made it a much safer procedure. Bronchoscopy may be either rigid (RB) or flexible (FB). RB is usually done for diagnosis and treatment of intra and/or extra luminal obstruction in the airway for adults and children, while FB is usually done by respiratory physicians and is the gold standard for visualizing the airway and performing various diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. RB usually requires general anesthesia (GA) while FB can be done under sedation supplemented with topical anesthesia (TA).