Interventional Pulmonology is a rapidly advancing subspecialty that uses minimally invasive bronchoscopic and thoracoscopic techniques to diagnose and treat complex airway, lung, and pleural diseases — often avoiding the need for open surgery. For patients with central airway obstruction, undiagnosed lung masses, recurrent pleural effusions, or tracheal stenosis, these procedures can be genuinely life-saving.

Flexible bronchoscopy is the most widely performed interventional procedure. A thin, flexible endoscope is passed through the nose or mouth into the tracheobronchial tree, allowing direct visualisation of the airways. It is used for obtaining tissue biopsies from suspicious lung nodules or masses, sampling lymph nodes via endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), removing foreign bodies, clearing mucus plugs, and delivering therapeutic interventions such as laser ablation or cryotherapy to endobronchial tumours.

Rigid bronchoscopy employs a wider, non-flexible metal tube that provides a secure airway and allows larger instruments to be introduced. It is the procedure of choice for managing significant central airway obstruction — whether from malignant tumours, benign strictures, or tracheal stenosis following prolonged intubation. Under rigid bronchoscopy, specialists can perform mechanical tumour debulking, balloon dilatation of narrowed airways, placement of silicone or metallic airway stents, and electrocautery or argon plasma coagulation to control bleeding.

Rigid thoracoscopy (medical pleuroscopy) is a minimally invasive technique for evaluating and treating pleural disease. Through a small incision in the chest wall, a rigid scope is introduced into the pleural space to visualise the pleural surfaces, obtain biopsies for diagnosis of mesothelioma, tuberculosis, or metastatic disease, and perform pleurodesis to prevent recurrent malignant pleural effusions.

These procedures require a highly trained interventional pulmonologist with dedicated equipment and anaesthetic support. Dr. Anchal Jain at New Umeed Healthcare & Care Hospital, Bathinda, independently performs flexible bronchoscopy including BAL, endobronchial biopsy (EBBx), and transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB), offering comprehensive management of complex respiratory conditions — bringing expert interventional care to the region.