Iatrogenic pneumothorax following vigorous suctioning of mucus plug during flexible bronchoscopy.

Flexible bronchoscopy is a commonly performed procedure in pulmonary medicine. The common complications following bronchoscopy include minor bleeding, transient hypoxaemia, pneumothorax and others. Pneumothorax during diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy is mainly encountered after performing transbronchial lung biopsy. Iatrogenic pneumothorax is uncommon when lung biopsy is not performed. Herein, we report the unusual occurrence of pneumothorax following bronchoscopic suctioning while removing a mucus plug. © BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.