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[Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)--a diagnostic method in chronic nonspecific bronchopulmonary diseases in childhood. 1.
J Hein1, E Martens, H U Gülzow
1Klinik für Kinderheilkunde, Bereiches Medizin der Wilhelm-Pieck-Universität Rostock, DDR.
Insights
Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is safe and well-tolerated in children for diagnostic purposes. This pediatric procedure showed no increased adverse events compared to bronchology without BAL.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Diagnostic Bronchoscopy
Context:
- Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is established in pediatric therapy but lacks data on diagnostic utility and safety in children.
- Limited information exists regarding the performance and compatibility of BAL in pediatric patients.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the diagnostic usefulness, performance, and compatibility of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in pediatric patients.
- To assess the safety and tolerability of BAL in children undergoing bronchological investigations.
Summary:
- A study of 118 children (3 months to 16 years) undergoing 123 bronchological investigations with BAL (40-160 ml lavage fluid).
- Febrile reactions occurred in 13.8% of cases, similar to a control group without BAL.
- BAL demonstrated good compatibility across all age groups, with no significant impact on bronchography quality and rare atelectasis.
Impact:
- Provides crucial data on the safety and diagnostic value of BAL in pediatric populations.
- Supports the use of BAL as a safe and effective diagnostic tool in pediatric respiratory care.
- Informs clinical practice regarding the performance and compatibility of BAL in children.
Abstract:
While the effectiveness of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in pediatric therapy has been recognized for years, there are hardly any data on its usefulness in diagnosis, its performance and compatibility in childhood. After 123 bronchological investigations including BAL on 118 children in the age of three months through 16 years, with lavage fluid amounts between 40 and 160 ml, febrile reactions occurred in 17 cases (= 13.8%), i.e. no more frequent than in a group of 100 children bronchologically investigated but without BAL. After blood gas analyses, ECG examinations, blood pressure readings the compatibility of BAL turned out to be good in children of every age. Bronchography pictures after BAL were not reduced in quality, atelectasis formation occurred rarely.