Bronchoscopy & Pulmonary Function Testing

Bronchoscopy is a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure that allows direct visualisation of the airways from the larynx to the segmental bronchi, enabling diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of pulmonary conditions. At SilverOak Health, both flexible fibreoptic and rigid bronchoscopy are performed by experienced respiratory physicians and thoracic surgeons in a dedicated bronchoscopy suite with full resuscitation facilities.

Flexible bronchoscopy is used diagnostically for evaluation of haemoptysis, unexplained cough, recurrent pneumonia, endobronchial lesions, and suspected malignancy. Bronchoalveolar lavage, endobronchial biopsy, and transbronchial biopsy under fluoroscopic guidance provide tissue and microbiological specimens that inform diagnosis of lung cancer, interstitial lung disease, sarcoidosis, and pulmonary infections including tuberculosis.

Advanced bronchoscopic techniques available at SilverOak include endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) with transbronchial needle aspiration for mediastinal lymph node staging in lung cancer, electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy for biopsy of peripheral pulmonary nodules, and cryobiopsy for improved yield in interstitial lung disease. These techniques extend the diagnostic reach of bronchoscopy into areas previously requiring more invasive surgical procedures.

Therapeutic bronchoscopy encompasses airway stenting for malignant and benign strictures, laser therapy and argon plasma coagulation for endobronchial tumours, balloon bronchoplasty for post-intubation stenoses, and foreign body removal. Bronchial thermoplasty — a catheter-based radiofrequency treatment delivered over three bronchoscopy sessions — is offered for severe refractory asthma.

Pulmonary function testing (spirometry, lung volumes, diffusing capacity, and bronchodilator reversibility) is essential for the diagnosis, severity classification, and monitoring of obstructive and restrictive lung diseases. Our pulmonary function laboratory performs the full range of tests to international standards, with results reviewed and reported by consultant respiratory physicians to inform clinical management decisions.