Endobronchial Ultrasound

Pulmonary Health Services

Wooster Community Hospital is proud to offer this effective, minimally invasive diagnostic procedure as part of its pulmonary health services. It is used to diagnose lung cancer, lung infections, and other diseases cause by enlarged lymph nodes or masses in the chest.

In an endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS), a thin, flexible instrument called a bronchoscope is fitted with a type of ultrasound device and then guided through the patient’s mouth and trachea. EBUS essentially allows the doctor to see whether a mass is present, instead of having to randomly biopsy the area using a needle. EBUS can be performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting, with little to no recovery time for patients.

The procedure is often combined with a transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) to obtain tissue or fluid samples from the lungs and surrounding lymph nodes. TBNA itself allows patients to avoid the greater risk and longer recovery involved in a conventional surgery with biopsy.

WCH pulmonologist Dr. Derek Brown performs EBUS procedures.

Pulmonologist in Wooster, OH

For more information about endobronchial ultrasound and the pulmonary health division of Wooster Community Hospital, call (330) 462-7001.