Post Procedure Management

My routine post bronchoscopy management consists of the following:

• Observation Period Based on Procedure Done:
  Post bronchoscopy management is mainly followed to screen for complications. The complications of routine bronchoscopy are negligible.

  Vital Signs: It is a good idea to observe the patient following the bronchoscopy. I do not keep the patient under observation for longer than a half an our following a routine bronchoscopy. If a transbronchial lung biopsy was done, the period of observation should be two hours.

  I don't obtain a routine chest x-ray following a bronchoscopy. However, it is important to get a chest x-ray following a transbronchial biopsy to rule out pneumothorax. This complication does not occur following a routine bronchoscopy.

• Instructions to the patient
  

  I always give the following instructions to my patients:

  • Not to eat or drink for another two hours. The gag reflex should return before he can resume oral consumption.
  • Someone should drive the patient home if they've been given demerol or valium.
  • Anticipate a sore throat and take a throat lozenge.
  • Call if a fever, shortness of breath or chest pain develops.
  • Anticipate mild hemoptysis.

Post Bronchoscopy Sputum:
Some physicians routinely collect post bronchoscopy sputum for cytology. While it seems logical, a retrospective study failed to confirm its utility.