What the risks are:

The main risks from bronchoscopy are:

• Bleeding from biopsy sites
• Infection

There is also a small risk of:

• Arrhythmias
• Breathing difficulties
• Fever
• Heart attack
• Low blood oxygen
• Pneumothorax
• Sore throat

In the rare instances when general anesthesia is used, there is some risk for:

• Muscle pain
• Change in blood pressure
• Slower heart rate
• Nausea
• Vomiting

There is a small risk for:

• Heart attack

When a biopsy is taken, there is a risk of severe bleeding (hemorrhage). Some bleeding is common. The technician or nurse will monitor the amount of bleeding.

There is a significant risk of choking if anything (including water) is swallowed before the numbing medicine wears off.

Special considerations:

After the procedure, your gag reflex will return. However, until it does, do not eat or drink anything.

To test if the gag reflex has returned, place a spoon on the back of your tongue for a few seconds with light pressure. If you don't gag, wait 15 minutes and try it again. Make sure that you don't use any small or sharp objects to test this reflex.