Bronchoscopy in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is bronchoscopy?
Bronchoscopy lets a chest specialist see inside the breathing tubes. The bronchoscope is a slim, bendable instrument with a light and camera at its tip. It enters through a nostril or the mouth, passes the back of the throat, slips between the vocal cords and travels down the trachea (the windpipe) into the bronchi, the branching tubes that carry air to each part of the lung.
A chest X-ray or CT scan shows shadows and outlines; bronchoscopy shows the airway lining itself — its colour, any swelling, narrowing, mucus plugs, bleeding points or growths. It also collects material for the laboratory. The two main samples are washings, where a small amount of sterile salt water is rinsed into one segment of lung and drawn straight back, and biopsies, tiny pieces of tissue taken through a channel in the scope. Washings are checked for infection, including organisms that are hard to grow from ordinary sputum, and for abnormal cells. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, bronchoscopy is part of the pulmonology service, so the specialist who meets you in clinic also performs the test and explains the results.
Who needs it
Bronchoscopy is usually recommended after imaging, blood tests and sputum tests have narrowed the question and a direct look or a tissue sample will settle it. Common reasons include:
- A chest infection or pneumonia that keeps coming back in the same part of the lung, or that persists despite treatment
- An abnormal chest X-ray or CT, such as a shadow, a collapsed area of lung or a nodule described on the lung nodule assessment page
- Coughing up blood, once you are stable and the source needs finding
- A long-standing cough after other causes have been explored, as outlined on the chronic cough investigation page
- Suspected tuberculosis when sputum samples are inconclusive
- Scarring or inflammation of the lung tissue that needs a sample for diagnosis
Heavy smoking, including shisha, dokha and midwakh, and years of dust exposure on construction or industrial sites are among the histories that prompt a closer look. Imaging usually comes first, arranged through chest imaging, X-ray or CT scan in radiology, and the CT often guides which airway the scope enters.
What happens
A nurse checks your details, medicines and allergies, and the pulmonologist explains the test and asks for your consent. A small cannula goes into a vein in your hand for sedation, which makes you drowsy and relaxed; the options are described on the sedation for procedures page. Oxygen flows through small prongs in the nose, and a clip on your finger tracks your oxygen level throughout.
The nose and throat are numbed with a local anaesthetic spray or gel, which tastes bitter. As the scope reaches the vocal cords, more anaesthetic is dripped through it to settle the cough reflex. Coughing a few times at this stage is normal and helpful, and it eases once the numbing takes hold. Breathing carries on around the scope, since it is much narrower than the windpipe. Talking pauses while the scope sits between the vocal cords, so the team agrees a hand signal with you beforehand.
The pulmonologist examines each airway on both sides in turn, then takes washings and biopsies where needed. Biopsies from inside the airways are painless. All samples are labelled and sent to the laboratory.
Preparing for it
An empty stomach keeps the test safe, because sedation and throat numbing both relax the swallowing reflex. You are given fasting instructions for food and drinks when the test is booked. Tell the team early if you take blood thinners, diabetes treatment or weight-loss injections, as some need adjusting beforehand.
Keep using your usual inhalers, and bring them with you. Bring your recent CT scan or its report, especially if it was done at another hospital, since the images guide where samples are taken. If you are fasting in Ramadan, discuss timing when you book.
After sedation, an adult needs to take you home and stay with you for the rest of the day.
Afterwards
You rest in the recovery area while the sedation wears off and your breathing and oxygen are monitored. Your throat stays numb for a while, so eating and drinking wait until the numbness has passed; the nurse checks by giving you a small sip of water first. A sore throat, a hoarse voice and a mild cough are common for a day or so, and after biopsies you may see small streaks of blood in your phlegm.
Plan a quiet rest of the day, with driving, signing important documents and operating machinery left until the next day. Many results take several days because laboratory cultures and tissue need processing; the pulmonologist arranges a follow-up visit to go through them.
If you become breathless, have chest pain, cough up more than small streaks of blood, or develop a fever or shivering after bronchoscopy, call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department. For other questions after the test, call the hospital on 06 599 7777.
Cost and insurance
Bronchoscopy requested by a pulmonologist for a clear clinical reason is covered by many UAE health insurance plans, and it frequently needs pre-approval before a date is confirmed. Laboratory tests on the samples and the sedation may be billed separately. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
Is bronchoscopy painful?
Bronchoscopy is usually uncomfortable rather than painful, because the nose and throat are numbed and sedation keeps you relaxed. The most noticeable sensations are the bitter taste of the numbing spray and a brief urge to cough as the scope passes the vocal cords.
Will I be awake during bronchoscopy?
Most people having bronchoscopy are given sedation, which makes them drowsy and relaxed, and many remember little of the test afterwards. It is lighter than a general anaesthetic, so you keep breathing on your own throughout while your oxygen level is monitored.
Can I breathe with the bronchoscope in my airway?
You can breathe normally during bronchoscopy, because the scope is much thinner than the windpipe and air flows around it. Extra oxygen is given through the nose, and a finger clip checks your oxygen level the whole time.
What are the risks of bronchoscopy?
Bronchoscopy is generally a safe test, but the main risks are a sore throat, hoarseness, a temporary fever, minor bleeding after biopsies and, less commonly, a fall in oxygen level, heavier bleeding or a collapsed lung (pneumothorax) after certain biopsies. Sedation carries its own small risks, which are discussed before you consent. A bronchoscopy does not always give a diagnosis, and further tests or a surgical biopsy by referral to a thoracic surgeon are sometimes needed.
When can I eat after bronchoscopy?
You can eat after bronchoscopy once the throat numbness has worn off, which the nurse checks with a small sip of water first. Eating while the throat is still numb risks food or drink going down the wrong way into the lungs.
How long do bronchoscopy results take?
Bronchoscopy results come in stages: what the pulmonologist saw is often explained on the day, while laboratory results on washings and biopsies take longer because cultures and tissue need time to process. Your follow-up appointment is arranged to go through them together.
Can bronchoscopy find tuberculosis?
Bronchoscopy washings can be tested for tuberculosis when sputum samples are inconclusive or hard to produce. If tuberculosis is found, Dar Al Kamal Hospital follows UAE public-health procedures, and your pulmonologist explains the next steps.
Is bronchoscopy covered by insurance in the UAE?
Many UAE insurance plans cover bronchoscopy when a pulmonologist requests it for a clear medical reason, usually after pre-approval from the insurer. Confirm your cover, including laboratory and sedation charges, with Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777.
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