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Bronchoscopy is an endoscopic technique of visualizing the inside of the airways for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. An instrument ( bronchoscope ) is inserted into the airways, usually through the nose or mouth, or occasionally through a tracheostomy .
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), also known as bronchoalveolar washing, is a diagnostic method of the lower respiratory system in which a bronchoscope is passed through the mouth or nose into an appropriate airway in the lungs, with a measured amount of fluid introduced and then collected for examination.
However, bronchoscopy is an invasive form of imaging and intervention in comparison to the below diagnostic tools, and requires sedation to perform. [24] X-ray An X-ray uses high-frequency electromagnetic radiation to visualize the human body. In the case of choking, a chest X-ray is obtained to visualize the lungs and upper airway.
Fluid analysis from the lavage extracted from the airways on bronchoscopy often reveals a total elevation in cell count in addition to an elevation in the percentage of T lymphocytes. This is a good way to help exclude other similar lung diseases like sarcoidosis , infection and Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis .
A condition called tracheo-bronchitis can be caused, when the mucous membrane of the trachea and bronchi swell. A collapsed trachea is formed as a result of defect in the cartilage, that makes the cartilage unable to support the trachea and results in dry hacking cough.
Basic human airway anatomy. Objects can enter the trachea and lungs via the mouth or nose. Signs and symptoms of foreign body aspiration vary based on the site of obstruction, the size of the foreign body, and the severity of obstruction. [2] 20% of foreign bodies become lodged in the upper airway, while 80% become lodged in a bronchus. [6]
Pulmonology (/ ˌ p ʌ l m ə ˈ n ɒ l ə dʒ i /, / ˌ p ʊ l m ə ˈ n ɒ l ə dʒ i /, from Latin pulmō, -ōnis "lung" and the Greek suffix -λογία-logía "study of"), pneumology (/ n ʊ ˈ m ɒ l ə dʒ i, n j ʊ-/, built on Greek πνεύμων pneúmōn "lung") or pneumonology [1] (/ n ʊ m ə n ˈ ɒ l ə dʒ i, n j ʊ-/) is a medical specialty that deals with diseases involving ...
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. [3] [14] Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. [15]