Preface
Since the conception and development of the rigid bronchoscope pioneered by Professor Gustav Killian and the flexible instrument by Professor Shigeto Ikeda, the art and science of “Bronchoscopy and Interventional Pulmonology” has continued to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of our patients. Although the purpose of our “art” has not significantly changed since Hippocrates (460–370 BC) conceived using a reed to open the airway of a suffocating patient, the array of procedures is expanding as early diagnosis and treatment improves patient care and our “machinery” progresses.
With the privilege of caring for our patients comes the responsibility to do our utmost to utilize technology to eliminate non-diagnostic bronchoscopy, minimize complications, and apply therapeutic techniques in a pragmatic approach to ensure the best care for our patients and efficient utilization of available resources.
Toward these goals we must humbly thank our authors who have given of their time and knowledge and without whom we would not have been able to assemble this work.
Therefore, this Special Issue of the Journal of Thoracic Disease (JTD) is devoted to “The past, current, and future development of high technology applied in thoracic diseases”.
