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Bronchoalveolar lavage in pediatrics
S Swaminathan1, D Vijayasekaran, N Somu
1Tuberculosis Research Centre, ICMR, Chetput, Madras.
Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|March 1, 1996
Summary
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a diagnostic tool for studying lower respiratory tract changes. It helps identify infections and non-infectious conditions in children, especially those who are immunocompromised.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is an emerging technique for analyzing the lower respiratory tract.
- It involves instilling saline into a lung segment via bronchoscope and analyzing the returned fluid.
Purpose of the Study:
- To standardize Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) procedures in children.
- To establish normal BAL cellular profiles in healthy children.
- To highlight diagnostic applications of BAL in pediatric respiratory diseases.
Main Methods:
- Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope wedged into a distal bronchus.
- Instillation of a fixed volume of saline.
- Aspiration of saline for microbiological and cellular analysis.
Main Results:
- BAL aids in diagnosing unusual infections in immunocompromised children.
- Cellular profiles from BAL can help diagnose non-infectious conditions.
- Advanced techniques like flow cytometry enhance understanding of immunopathogenesis.
Conclusions:
- Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a valuable diagnostic tool in pediatric respiratory medicine.
- Standardization efforts are crucial for reliable data in children.
- BAL contributes to understanding the immunopathogenesis of respiratory diseases.