An insight into interventional bronchoscopy.

Abstract

The emergent field of interventional bronchoscopy provides an alternative approach for the diagnosis and management of a range of respiratory conditions. Within malignant disease, robotic navigational bronchoscopy provides a stable platform to sample small and difficult to reach pulmonary nodules, while malignant central airway obstruction can be managed through transcopic stent insertion. A range of therapeutic modalities have been developed for benign disease, which provide alternatives to standard therapy, particularly in the context of endobronchial valves for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and bronchial thermoplasty for asthma, while transbronchial cryoexcision lung biopsy offers a non-surgical option for undiagnosed interstitial lung disease. With a rich pipeline of technology being developed through robust clinical trial processes, the field of interventional bronchoscopy will continue to grow to become an invaluable asset, not only to the field of respiratory medicine, but to the general physician.