Respiratory mucosal damage by flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy in pigs

In a study of 11 pigs, the left bronchial tree was examined with a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope (FFB) and the right bronchial tree was used as control. After bronchoscopy the animals were sacrificed and the airways examined by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. In all animals, respiratory mucosal damage caused by the FFB was observed. The columnar epithelial cells were torn off in areas where the FFB had rubbed against the airway wall, but the basement membrane was not damaged. Even in specimens where large areas of the epithelium were grazed off there were underlying areas with undamaged epithelium.