Historic Development of Bronchoesophagology

Innovation in rigid bronchoscopy—past, present, and future

“…Later, in the United States, Algernon Coolidge performed the first tracheo-bronchoscopy using an open urethroscope and a head-mirror to remove a hard-rubber cannula from the right main bronchus at the Massachusetts General Hospital in 1898 (6). In 1904, Chevalier Jackson Sr, a US otolaryngologist, developed a safer and simpler bronchoscopic technique by adding distal illumination and designing numerous tools to remove foreign bodies and take biopsies, thus advancing bronchoscopic management of benign and malignant airway diseases (Figure 1) (3,(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). The Mutter Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, exhibits the collection of numerous foreign bodies removed by Dr. Jackson over the years.…”

“…A significant milestone was reached in 1887 when the German urologist Maximilian Nitze introduced the first miniature electric bulb without a separate cooling system (12)(13)(14)(15)(16). Up to this point, all endobronchial illumination was achieved using an external source.…”

“…The French urologist Antonin Jean Desormeaux (1815–1894) is considered the real founder of practical endoscopy. In 1853, he introduced an illuminated urethroscope to the Academy of Medicine in Paris ( 12 ). The design of the instrument was similar to that introduced by Bozzini, but the source of light was “gazogene”, a mixture of alcohol and one part turpentine ( Figure 2 ).…”

“…Einhorn from the United States built the first esophagoscope with a distally illuminated tube. Chevalier Jackson Sr used this concept for his laryngeal and endobronchial procedures ( 12 ). In 1940, Broyles perfected optical bronchoscopic telescopes and forceps illuminated by a small bulb at the tip, and later, introduced the first fiber illuminated bronchoscope ( 12 ).…”

Transnasal Esophagoscopy: State of the Art

“…Esophagoscopy was performed with a transoral approach initially with the patient neither sedated nor anesthetized 2,3 . From the 1940s until the early 1960s, topical anesthesia and intramuscular sedation was generally used during esophagoscopy 4 . Since the late 1960s transoral rigid esophagoscopy has been routinely performed in the operating room with the patient under general anesthesia.…”