Application of bronchoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral pulmonary lesions in China: a national cross-sectional study

Bronchoscopy has gradually become valuable armamentarium in evaluating and applying endoscopic therapy to peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) around the world. We aimed to make a comprehensive understanding of the application of bronchoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of PPLs in China. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in China between January 2022 and March 2022. The survey was in the form of an online questionnaire which was filled in with real-time data by the respondents. A total of 347 doctors from 284 tertiary hospitals (81.8%) and 63 secondary general hospitals (18.2%) were included in the data analysis. More than half of the surveyed doctors (55.0%) had independently performed respiratory endoscopy for 5-15 years. Higher proportions of hospitals with a fixed nursing team, anesthesiologists and rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) during bronchoscopic procedures were performed in tertiary hospitals than those in secondary general hospitals (P