[Fiber bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage in patients with asthma. A description of the method]

Fiber bronchoscopy under local anaesthesia is an examination procedure frequently employed in the remainder of Scandinavia, Europe and USA. It requires only few resources and the costs are considerably less than fiber bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in connection with fiber bronchoscopy is rapidly undertaken but analysis of the material obtained requires considerable time. A method of induction of local anaesthesia, performance of BAL and preparation of the washings obtained is described. Fiber bronchoscopy and BAL are considered to be safe examination procedures in patients with mild asthma in a stable phase. The examination is only associated with slight discomfort for the patients, who will frequently accept repeated investigations, and complications are rare. BAL is a valuable examination procedure in research and the results have increased the knowledge of mechanisms in a series of interstitial pulmonary diseases. Future investigations of the humoral and cellular components in BAL fluid in asthmatic patients will contribute to increase knowledge of the pathological mechanisms in asthmatic disease.