Before the procedure:

• Do not take any blood thinners (aspirin or Plavix for 7 days, Coumadin/warfarin 4 days) prior to the procedure.

• Do not eat foods or drink liquids for 6 hours before the procedure

Day of procedure:

• Bring a driver; you will not be able to drive yourself after the procedure

• Come to outpatient admitting office to check in

• An IV will be placed before the procedure

• Lidocaine will be used to numb your skin, alert the nurse if you are allergic to this or any other medications

• The doctor will speak with you before the procedure to review the plan

• The nurse will give you sedating medications before the procedure starts

After the procedure:

• You may not remember what is said due to the sedating medications

• You may experience a soreness in your chest

• There will be a chest tube placed to drain air from the chest and keep the lung from collapsing

• The chest tube will be removed once the lung has re-expanded completely

• Be prepared to spend the night in the hospital, rarely patients have to spend more than one night

• Results from the procedure come back 2 days after the procedure; your doctor will arrange a follow-up visit or call to discuss the results

• If you want another doctor to get results from the procedure please bring the name and fax number with you

*********Register for procedure at Palmetto Health Richland  click here to view campus map

• Bronchoscopy
• Medical thoracoscopy
• Tunneled chest tube placement

Eight Medical Park, Suite 410
Columbia, SC  29203
Phone: (803) 799-5022
Fax: (803) 799-5890
fmcguire@gw.mp.sc.edu

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