Abstract
Background: Flexible bronchoscopy is a vital tool in respiratory medicine, facilitating both diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. The British Thoracic Society (BTS) guidelines have provided a standardized framework for flexible bronchoscopy procedures, guiding clinical practice and fostering quality assurance through audits. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of flexible bronchoscopy at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, adherence to British Thoracic Society (BTS) guidelines, and the duration between hospital admission and bronchoscopy performance. Methods: A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Mayo Hospital Lahore from January 2022 to January 2024, encompassing 88 patients who underwent flexible bronchoscopy. Data collection included demographic details, indications for bronchoscopy, procedural outcomes, and diagnostic yields. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 27, employing descriptive statistics and percentage calculations. Results: The mean age of the patient cohort was 49.87 years, with males constituting 65.9% of the participants. Suspicion of malignancy emerged as the primary indication for bronchoscopy (61.36%), followed by persistent cough (22.72%) and hemoptysis (4.45%). The majority of procedures (98.9%) were complication-free, with only one instance of minor bleeding. Abnormal bronchoscopy findings were predominantly attributed to malignancy (38.16%) and tuberculosis (38.16%). The overall diagnostic yield was 86.36%, with a malignancy diagnostic yield of 87.87%. The mean duration from ward admission to bronchoscopy was 5.5 days. Conclusion: Flexible bronchoscopy emerges as a safe and effective diagnostic modality, with diagnostic yields surpassing established standards. However, challenges such as gender disparities and tuberculosis burden warrant attention to optimize patient care delivery and mitigate disease impact.