Bronchoscopy Cost in Germany

The cost of bronchoscopy in Germany typically ranges from $2,500 to $22,000 USD, depending on the hospital, city, and type of procedure.

Bronchoscopy uses a thin flexible tube with a camera, passed through the nose or mouth, to look inside the airways and take samples to help diagnose lung problems. In Germany, the total depends on:

• Samples taken: biopsies or washings.
• Sedation: local spray and mild sedation.
• Day case: with recovery time.
• Results and follow-up: a clinic visit.

Bronchoscopy is a short day-case test; a quote near the upper end of the range above is unusual.

Royal United Hospitals Bath explains that a thin flexible tube is passed through the nose or mouth, with local anaesthetic spray and mild sedation. Biopsies or washings can be taken.

The test takes 20 to 30 minutes, followed by about an hour of recovery. Nothing should be eaten or drunk for about 2 hours afterwards.

An adult should stay with you for 24 hours, and driving is not allowed for 48 hours after sedation. A sore throat and a low fever can occur.

Bleeding after a biopsy is common. A collapsed lung occurs in about 1 in 1,000 for a standard bronchoscopy and about 1 in 100 with a lung tissue biopsy.

Outpatient services for self-paying patients in Germany are billed under the physicians' fee schedule (GOÄ), which allows a doctor to charge from the single rate up to 3.5 times the listed fee.

Patients insured in another EU country need an S2 form from their own insurer for planned treatment in Germany, as the EHIC is intended for unplanned care.