Different methods of performing diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage in patients suffering from diffuse lung diseases

Since 1978 transbronchial lung biopsy and diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage were performed through the fiberoptic bronchoscope under fluoroscopic guidance in 176 patients with roentgenological signs of diffuse lung disease. The bronchoscopies were carried out under local anaesthesia with the help of various kinds of fiberoptic bronchoscopes and under general anaesthesia with the help of rigid bronchoscopic equipment. The efficiency of different methods of bronchoalveolar lavage technique was evaluated. It is more convenient to use double canal bronchoscope BF-2T "Olympus". It was possible to determine the histopathological diagnosis with the help of bronchological investigation for 126 patients out of the total number (71.6%). The highest diagnostic rate was obtained where bronchoalveolar lavage was combined with the transbronchial lung biopsy. With the help of bronchoalveolar lavage it was possible to evaluate the degree and the character of alveolitis, which is usually found in most of the cases of diffuse lung diseases, and to evaluate the efficiency of drug therapy of alveolitis in every concrete case.