PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Septimiu D Murgu
AU  - Jocelyn Pecson
AU  - Henri G Colt
TI  - Bronchoscopy During Noninvasive Ventilation: Indications and Technique
DP  - 2010 May 01
TA  - Respiratory Care
PG  - 595--600
VI  - 55
IP  - 5
4099  - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/55/5/595.short
4100  - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/55/5/595.full
AB  - Diagnostic or therapeutic flexible bronchoscopy is often necessary in severely ill patients. These patients often have comorbidities that increase the risk of bronchoscopy-related complications. Noninvasive ventilation might decrease the risk of these complications in patients with severe refractory hypoxemia, postoperative respiratory distress, or severe emphysema, and in pediatric patients. Noninvasive ventilation may prevent hypoventilation in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and obesity hypoventilation syndrome who require bronchoscopy, and may assist in the bronchoscopic evaluation of patients with expiratory central-airway collapse. We describe the indications, contraindications, and technique of flexible bronchoscopy during noninvasive ventilation.