Bronchoscopy

How To Prepare

You will be asked to sign a consent form before a bronchoscopy. Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the procedure, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will indicate. To help you understand the importance of this procedure, fill out the medical procedure information form(What is a PDF document?).

Before you have a bronchoscopy, tell your doctor if you:

• Are taking any medicines.
• Are allergic to any medicines, including anaesthetics.
• Have had bleeding problems or take blood-thinners, such as ASA, clopidogrel (Plavix), or warfarin (Coumadin).
• Are or might be pregnant.

Your doctor may order other tests before your bronchoscopy, such as a complete blood count (CBC), bleeding factors, arterial blood gas (ABG), or lung function tests.

Do not eat or drink for at least 8 to 10 hours before the procedure.

Arrange to have someone drive you home after the procedure.

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Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC	Last Updated: August 10, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Robert L. Cowie, MB, FCP(SA), MD, MSc, MFOM - Pulmonology
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