• Fumihiro Asano, Motoi Aoe, Yoshinobu Ohsaki, Yoshinori Okada, Shinji Sasada, Shigeki Sato, Eiichi Suzuki, Hiroshi Senba, Shozo Fujino, and Kazumitsu Ohmori.
• Safety Management Committee, Japan Society for Respiratory Endoscopy, Tokyo, Japan. asano-fm@ceres.ocn.ne.jp
• Respirology. 2013 Feb 1;18(2):284-90.

Background And ObjectiveTo ensure the safety of bronchoscopic practice, the Japan Society for Respiratory Endoscopy conducted a national survey to investigate the current state of procedure for this technique.MethodsA questionnaire survey about procedures carried out during the whole of the year 2010 was mailed to 538 facilities accredited by the society.ResultsResponses were obtained from 511 facilities (95.0%). Rigid bronchoscopes were used in only 18.5% of the facilities, while mobile/thin bronchoscopes were used in ≥ 50%, and fluoroscopy systems were used in 99.8%. Biopsies were performed after discontinuation of therapy in patients receiving antiplatelet drugs and anticoagulants in 96.7% and 97.4% of the facilities, respectively. Atropine was administered for premedication in 67.5% of the facilities, a decrease from previous surveys. Intravenous sedation was given in 36.1% of the facilities. In 21.9% of these, the procedure was conducted in the outpatient clinic for ≥ 70% of patients. A bronchoscope was orally inserted in ≥ 70% of patients in 95.7% of the facilities. Intravenous access was maintained during the examination in 92.5% of the facilities, oxygen saturation was monitored during examinations in 99.0%, oxygen was administered in 97.6% and resuscitation equipment was available in 96%. In 98.6% of the facilities, bronchoscopes were disinfected using an automatic washing machine, with glutaraldehyde used in 42.2%.ConclusionsJapan-specific characteristics of bronchoscopic practice were identified. Whether procedures used in Japan meet international guidelines with respect to safety should be monitored continuously. In addition, a Japanese evidence-based consensus is needed.© 2012 The Authors. Respirology © 2012 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

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