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What is a bronchoscopy?

Bronchoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine your child’s throat, larynx, trachea, and lower airways through a tool called a bronchoscope. Bronchoscopy may be done to diagnose problems with your child’s airway, lungs, or lymph nodes.

Will my child need anesthesia?

Uncomplicated procedures are performed using local sedation in our Gastroenterology Procedure Unit.

More technically challenging procedures are performed in the hospital operating room suite, where rooms are fully staffed by an anesthesiologist and O.R. nurses. Your child will likely receive general anesthesia.

How Boston Children’s Hospital approaches bronchoscopy

A certified staff bronchoscopist and a pulmonary fellow perform bronchoscopies. Boston Children's provides full anesthesia, nursing, and technical support.

  • At Boston Children’s, a bronchoscopy is used to diagnose problems with your child’s airway, lungs, or lymph nodes, including cystic fibrosis.
  • It's also used to take fluid and tissue samples from the lung.

Other procedures include whole lung lavage, airway dilation, airway stent placement, and removal and/or biopsy of airway lesions.

Practitioners Who Specialize In This Condition (7)

Jonathan Levin, MD

Jonathan Levin, MD, MBI

Director, Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Program; Director, Center for Healthy Infant Lung Development; Co-Director, Chronic Pulmonary and Ventilator Program; Pulmonologist, Divisions of Newborn Medicine and Pulmonary Medicine
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
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Lindsay Sobin, MD

Lindsay Sobin, MD

Otolaryngologist, Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
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