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Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Bronchoalveolar Lavage BAL for Research; Obtaining Adequate Sample Yield
Published on: March 24, 2014
Bronchoalveolar lavage usefulness in the pediatric population
I Bada-Bosch1, L Pérez-Egido1, M A García-Casillas1
1Pediatric Surgery Department. Gregorio Marañón Maternal-Pediatric Hospital. Madrid (Spain).
Objective:
To analyze bronchoalveolar lavage diagnostic effectiveness and impact on therapeutic management in pediatric patients.
Material And Methods:
Retrospective study of patients undergoing bronchoalveolar lavage at the pediatric surgery department from 2009 to 2019. The sample was divided into two groups: hemato-oncological patients and non-hemato-oncological patients. Demographic variables, bronchoalveolar lavage result, and subsequent therapeutic attitude were collected.
Results:
45 bronchoalveolar lavages were carried out in 38 patients. The hemato-oncological group consisted of 25 bronchoalveolar lavages. Patient mean age was 9.99 ± 2.34 years. 80% of patients had received anti-infective treatment prior to bronchoalveolar lavage. Bronchoalveolar lavage culture was positive in 52% of cases. Bronchoalveolar lavage results translated into therapeutic management change in 24% of cases (6/25). 3 postoperative complications were recorded, all mild. In the non-hemato-oncological group (n = 20), mean age was 6.70 ± 5.17 years. Bronchoalveolar lavage was positive in 25% of cases, and translated into management change in 5% of patients. Complication rate in this group was 30%. 2 patients required mechanical ventilation.
Conclusions:
According to our results, bronchoalveolar lavage in hemato-oncological patients helps achieve microbiological diagnosis in infectious respiratory conditions and is relatively well-tolerated. In non-hemato-oncological patients, diagnostic and therapeutic usefulness is low, and complication rate is not negligible. The risk-benefit balance should be individually considered in each patient.
