title: Bronchoscopy: the past, the present, and the future.
abstract: This article discusses bronchoscopy: its history, including development of instruments and techniques and important historical figures; current techniques and issues; and future possibilities and potential controversies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interdisciplinary Endoscopy, Thoraxklinik at Heidelberg University, Amalienstrasse 5, D-69126, Heidelberg, Germany. hdb@bronchology.org
authors.forename: Heinrich D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D020680:Bronchoscopes / Q000266:history; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends; D004867:Equipment Design; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000266:history