Flexible Bronchoscope
A flexible bronchoscope has a hand-piece and lever so the instrument can be properly positioned and moved to view specific parts of the airway. Most flexible scopes have an additional channel to insert instruments or perform suctioning. Flexible scopes aren't as wide as rigid scopes, which sometimes allows for better manipulation and patient comfort.
FEATURES
Diagnose diseases of the tracheobronchial tree (e.g. burns, tumours)
Obtain lung samples (e.g. airway biopsies, bronchial washings, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens)
Therapies and procedures
Difficult intubation (e.g. awake fibreoptic intubation)
Suction of secretions or blood from the airways
Guide placement of a percutaneous tracheostomy, double-lumen tube, bronchial blockers and endobronchial valves
Treatment of specific disorders (e.g. control bleeding from focal lesions)