Bronchoscopy Basics: Current approaches-A literature review

Abstract

Objective: This review article aims to understand the basic airway anatomy, bronchoscopy in high risk patients, premedication in bronchoscopy and performing the procedure in patients on anticoagulation. Basic bronchoscopy is the procedure done by pulmonologists, intensivists, thoracic surgery, and anesthesiologists. After a literature search from several databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Update etc., I found several categories of high-risk patients based on clinical history, Mallampati score, and 3-3-2 Rule. These include patients with pulmonary hypertension, renal failure, COPD, asthma, obesity, patients on anticoagulation. I searched the literature to find multiple expert guidelines and recommendations that suggested minimizing the risk of complications in these high-risk patients, including premedication.