AST Surgical Technologist Practice Exam

What is the wound classification for a bronchoscopy?

1. Clean

2. Clean - Contaminated

3. Contaminated

4. Dirty

The correct answer is: Clean - Contaminated

A bronchoscopy is classified as a Clean - Contaminated wound due to the nature of the procedure. In this case, the airway is entered for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, and there is a potential for contamination from the respiratory tract, which normally contains bacteria. During a bronchoscopy, although the procedure is performed in a sterile manner, contact with mucosal surfaces that harbor microbial flora introduces a risk for possible infection. Thus, it contributes to the Clean - Contaminated classification, which is used for procedures that involve entering a normal microbiota site but are conducted under sterile conditions. Other classifications, such as Clean or Dirty, do not accurately encapsulate the risk associated with the procedure, as Clean refers to surgeries without entrance to an area with normal flora, while Dirty relates to infected or inflamed sites. Therefore, Clean - Contaminated is the most fitting classification for a bronchoscopy.