Bronchoscopes are flexible scopes that doctors use to look inside the lungs and airways. Like Olympus duodenoscopes used for ERCP, reusable bronchoscopes have been linked to drug-resistant lung infections, hospital-acquired pneumonia, and outbreaks of Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium, and other pathogens that survive standard cleaning.
If you developed a serious lung infection, persistent pneumonia, or sepsis after a bronchoscopy — especially one performed with a reusable Olympus bronchoscope — you may have a case. This page explains which models the FDA has flagged, what infections have been documented, and how a bronchoscope case differs from the better-known duodenoscope cases.
A bronchoscope is a long, thin, flexible tube with a camera and light at its tip. A pulmonologist inserts it through the mouth or nose, down the throat, and into the lungs to look at the airways and to take samples of tissue or fluid. Bronchoscopies are used to diagnose lung cancer, infections, and unexplained bleeding, and to remove foreign objects or blockages.
Like duodenoscopes, bronchoscopes are reusable. A single scope is used on hundreds of patients over its lifespan. Between every patient, the scope must be cleaned, brushed, soaked in chemical disinfectant, rinsed, and dried. The cleaning process is called reprocessing, and it is the same process that has failed repeatedly in duodenoscope cases.
What is unique about bronchoscopes is the part of the body they enter. Bronchoscopes are inserted directly into the lungs and bronchial tubes — tissue that is far less able to fight off bacteria than the digestive tract. When a contaminated bronchoscope deposits drug-resistant bacteria into a lung, the consequences can be severe and fast.
The FDA has been raising concerns about reusable bronchoscope contamination for years. In 2015, the agency issued a safety communication warning health care providers about the risk of infection from improperly reprocessed flexible bronchoscopes. In 2021, the FDA repeated and expanded that warning after receiving more than 100 reports of patient infections and contamination events tied to reusable bronchoscopes from multiple manufacturers, including Olympus.
The June 24, 2025 FDA import alert blocked 58 Olympus endoscope models from entering the United States, and bronchoscope models were included in that list. An import alert is one of the strongest tools the FDA has against a foreign device maker: U.S. Customs is authorized to detain every listed product at the border until the manufacturer can prove it is safe.
In addition to the import alert, the FDA has issued separate Class I recalls — the most serious recall category — for bronchoscope-related parts and accessories from Olympus. A Class I recall means there is a reasonable probability that use of the product will cause serious injury or death. Class I recalls are not paperwork. They are public regulatory findings of unacceptable risk.
For the full timeline of FDA actions across all Olympus scope categories, see the FDA warnings page.
Pseudomonas thrives in moist environments — including improperly dried bronchoscope channels. It is one of the most common bacteria found in bronchoscope contamination outbreaks and is naturally resistant to many antibiotics. In the lungs, Pseudomonas causes severe pneumonia and bloodstream infections, especially dangerous for patients who are already hospitalized or immunocompromised.
Non-tuberculous mycobacteria, including M. abscessus and M. chelonae, have been linked to bronchoscope contamination. Mycobacterial lung infections can take weeks or months to declare themselves, are notoriously difficult to treat, and often require a year or more of multi-drug antibiotic therapy. Many patients are first misdiagnosed because the initial symptoms look like ordinary pneumonia.
Klebsiella is increasingly drug-resistant in U.S. hospitals and has been documented in bronchoscope-related outbreaks. In the lungs it causes severe pneumonia with high mortality, particularly when the strain is carbapenem-resistant. Klebsiella infections often require ICU admission and weeks of IV antibiotic therapy.
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae — the same superbug class that drove the duodenoscope crisis — has been identified in bronchoscope contamination. The CDC labels CRE a "nightmare bacteria" because it is resistant to nearly all available antibiotics. Bloodstream infections with CRE carry a mortality rate of up to 50%.
For background on how each of these pathogens behaves and why they survive standard hospital cleaning, see the superbug pathogens explainer.
We accept bronchoscope cases nationwide. The strongest cases share a common pattern. If your story matches most of the following, a free case review is the right next step.
Even if you do not know which scope was used in your procedure, do not assume that disqualifies you. Identifying the make and model of the bronchoscope is part of what we do when we open a case — we send formal records requests under HIPAA's right of access to surface the device information from the hospital.
The most common questions we hear from patients calling about bronchoscope infections.
Yes. The same design and reprocessing problems that drove the duodenoscope crisis also affect bronchoscopes. The FDA's June 2025 import alert covered 58 Olympus endoscope models, including bronchoscope models. The FDA has also issued separate safety communications and Class I recalls of bronchoscope-related parts. Bronchoscope cases are evaluated under the same product liability framework as other Olympus scope cases, and we accept them on the same terms.
Olympus makes a wide range of bronchoscopes, including the BF-Q190, BF-1TQ190, BF-H190, BF-XP190, and the URF series of reusable scopes. The FDA's documented concerns have applied across the bronchoscope product line, not just one model. The June 2025 import alert and prior safety communications make clear that the contamination risk is built into the reusable bronchoscope category, not specific to a single device. Whether your specific scope is part of a case depends on the model used, the year of the procedure, and the infection that developed.
Bronchoscope contamination has been linked to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium species (including non-tuberculous mycobacteria), Klebsiella, and other drug-resistant bacteria. Because the bronchoscope is inserted directly into the airways and lungs, these pathogens are introduced into a part of the body where the immune system has limited ability to fight them off. The result is often persistent pneumonia, lung abscesses, sepsis, and prolonged hospitalization.
Fever within days or weeks of a bronchoscopy, a worsening cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and sputum (phlegm) that is yellow, green, or blood-streaked are all warning signs. Hospital-acquired pneumonia and unexpected hospital readmission after what was supposed to be a routine bronchoscopy are also red flags. Mycobacterium infections in particular can take weeks or months to declare themselves, with weight loss and night sweats appearing alongside lung symptoms. The full infection symptoms guide covers what to watch for.
The legal framework is the same — both are typically product liability cases against Olympus, sometimes joined by hospital negligence claims. The medical evidence is different. Bronchoscope cases focus on lung infections, sputum cultures, chest imaging, and pulmonology records rather than on bile duct cultures and gastroenterology records. The same firm can handle either type, but a strong bronchoscope case is built around its own clinical record.
Every factual claim on this page is supported by a verifiable public source. Click any source below to read the original.
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Browse the full library of contaminated endoscope and Olympus scope investigation pages.
Start here — overview of contaminated endoscope litigation.
How design flaws turn scopes into superbug carriers.
Colonoscopy, ERCP, bronchoscopy, upper endoscopy — what's at risk.
Timeline of FDA recalls, warnings, and import alerts.
CRE, MDRO, sepsis warning signs to watch for.
The closed-channel elevator that resists sterilization.
Duodenoscope-linked outbreaks and ERCP claims.
When routine screenings cause hospital-acquired infections.
Cleaning shortcuts that put patients at risk.
Find out in 60 seconds if you have a case.
Latest FDA actions, MDL updates, and case news.
What the June 2025 FDA Olympus import alert means for patients.
Did Olympus meet its FDA deadline? 96% completion claim, Canadian class action, and what's still outstanding.
Where Olympus scope cases stand: no MDL yet, individual filings, deadline pressure.
The drug-resistant bacteria documented in scope outbreaks, in plain English.
How to find out which scope was used on you and what records to request.
Plain-English read on filing deadlines and the discovery rule.
Was your hospital part of an Olympus scope outbreak?
Records and documentation that build a strong scope case.
Why scope cases are usually product liability, not malpractice.
No fees unless we recover money for you — how it works.
If you developed a lung infection or sepsis after a bronchoscopy, the contamination problem is well-documented and the FDA has formally recognized it. A free case review is confidential and costs you nothing. No Fees Unless We Recover Money for You.
