5 - Endoscopic Diagnosis of Thoracic Disease

Abstract

Diseases of the aerodigestive tract form a key part of thoracic surgery. Fortunately, this space can be easily accessed through the pharynx. For over a century, endoscopy has leveraged this relation to enabling disease diagnosis. These capabilities have only continued to expand. Differences in the anatomy of the esophagus and tracheobronchial tree have required the development of slightly different platforms. This chapter continues to review upper endoscopy and bronchoscopy separately. However, as endoscopy is increasingly used to diagnose disease beyond the lumen of the aerodigestive tract, both techniques may be used together. It is imperative that thoracic surgeons be familiar with endoscopy, as the specialty continues its transition towards increasingly minimally invasive care. Note that this chapter focuses on diagnostic endoscopy; therapeutic endoscopy is reviewed elsewhere.