title: Diagnostic yield of flexible bronchoscopy in current clinical practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Flexible bronchoscopy is a procedure commonly performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic yield and the safety of routine bronchoscopy techniques including transbronchial needle aspiration and transbronchial biopsy at a university hospital in Switzerland.
  
  
  METHODS
  616 consecutive bronchoscopies performed at the Pulmonary Medicine Department (University Hospital Basel) over a period of 6 months were analysed retrospectively using bronchoscopy reports and hospital charts. Diagnostic procedures included bronchial washings, bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial brushings, transbronchial needle aspiration and transbronchial biopsies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  430 bronchoscopies had a diagnostic, 186 a therapeutic indication. The overall diagnostic yield was 57% (245/430). Bronchoscopy performed for suspected tumours confirmed malignancy in 43% of cases. Bronchoscopy in suspected infection and tuberculosis identified pathogenic organisms in 46% and 27% of cases, respectively. The diagnostic yield for central and peripheral TBNA was 37.8 and 43.6%, respectively. Complications were very rare (n = 10, 1.6%) and were only minor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that routine bronchoscopy techniques including transbronchial needle aspiration and transbronchial biopsy are safe and have a high diagnostic yield.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland. ljoos@uhbs.ch
authors.forename: Ladina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Joos
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patuto
authors.forename: Prashant N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Chhajed
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000592:standards*; D015510:Clinical Medicine; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013557:Switzerland