Bronchoscopy Workshop
Gustav Killian mastered rigid bronchoscopy, which was later improvised by Chevalier Jackson. Later came the flexible bronchoscopy invented by Ikeda. Since then bronchoscopy has helped mankind to inspect and analyze pulmonary pathologies that were once not reachable. The airways can be visualized using this scope, i.e., right from behind the nose until the smaller bronchi can be assessed by this technique. There are two kinds of bronchoscopes: flexible and rigid.
Rigid bronchoscopy is performed under general anesthesia with a straight tube. It provides access up to the proximal bronchi. It has a larger lumen compared to the flexible scope. Apart from interventional procedures such as stenting, it is the first-choice instrument to remove foreign bodies from the upper airways.
A flexible bronchoscope is a flexible long tube with a fiberoptic visual system that comes on varying lengths and diameters. There are two types of flexible bronchoscopes. The fiberoptic bronchoscope: It has 3 bundles of fiberoptic material, two for light source and one for image transmission; a single bundle contains approximately 10,000 glass fibers and a video bronchoscope: Instead of an eye piece a video device picks up the electronic signals and converts them into an image on the monitor. The bronchoscope is inserted either through the nose or the mouth and is advanced through the pharynx, vocal cords and then into the trachea. Biopsies and sample collection including BAL can be done using the instrument port. The advantage with the flexible scope over the rigid scope is the easy accessibility of the smaller bronchi.
Bronchoscopy workshop involves training young respiratory physicians to have hands on experience in doing bronchoscopy procedures. Special feature about this workshop is the use of goat lung models which gives a real life feel while training.
The last workshop happened in 2017.
