TY - JOUR T1 - Bronchoscopy During Noninvasive Ventilation: Indications and Technique JF - Respiratory Care SP - 595 LP - 600 VL - 55 IS - 5 AU - Septimiu D Murgu AU - Jocelyn Pecson AU - Henri G Colt Y1 - 2010/05/01 UR - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/55/5/595.abstract N2 - 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. ER -