Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) for Research; Obtaining Adequate Sample Yield
Published on: March 24, 2014
Pediatric bronchoalveolar lavage: practical considerations and future prospects
Richard Shell1, Kathleen Nicol
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University School of Medicine and Public Health, Columbus, OH, USA.
Insights
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in children has challenges. This study reviews best practices for improved data comparison and future investigations in pediatric respiratory care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Diagnostic Procedures
Background:
- Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) has been used in pediatrics since the 1970s.
- Significant challenges persist, including lack of normal controls, patient size limitations, and inconsistent assessment methods.
- The European Respiratory Society formed a pediatric BAL taskforce in 1995, the only known committee to evaluate the procedure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and document optimal practices for pediatric bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL).
- To identify methods for improved data comparison in pediatric respiratory assessments.
- To suggest potential areas for future investigations in pediatric BAL.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on pediatric bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL).
- Examination of current institutional procedures for BAL in children.
- Analysis of best practices for data acquisition and interpretation.
Main Results:
- Identification of key challenges in pediatric BAL, including standardization and patient-specific limitations.
- Documentation of fruitful practices for enhancing data quality and comparability.
- Outline of potential investigations to advance the field of pediatric respiratory diagnostics.
Conclusions:
- Standardizing pediatric bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) procedures is crucial for reliable results.
- Further research is needed to address existing limitations and optimize diagnostic yield.
- Improved methodologies will enhance the comparative analysis of pediatric respiratory conditions.
Abstract:
Despite the utilization of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in children since the early 1970s, several challenges remain once the procedure is complete. These include little documentation on normal controls, the limitations due to the size of the patient, and uniform processes for assessment. It was not until 1995 that a taskforce on pediatric BAL was formed by the European Respiratory Society, and to our knowledge, they remain the only committee evaluating the process [1]. We examined our procedures and reviewed the literature in an attempt to document the most fruitful practices that would allow improved data comparison and introduce possible investigations.
