Flexible bronchoscopy (FB) is a safe and frequently performed procedure for the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with respiratory disease. The procedure and applications of FB have progressively evolved and expanded since it was first introduced in 1968. 1 FB is now established as an essential diagnostic and therapeutic tool in respiratory medicine. The British Thoracic Society (BTS) published the 2001 guidelines on diagnostic FB. 2 This document is well respected, used and referenced in the UK and beyond. Literature searches for the 2001 guideline were completed in 1999, but numerous studies have been published in this field since, providing adequate information to revise and update the evidenced-based recommendations. i4 Du Rand IA, et al. Thorax 2013; 68: i1–i44. doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2013-203618