Clinical outcome of bronchoalveolar lavaged COVID ARDS patients

One of the biggest pandemics of the human race, Coronavirus disease, has reported mortality rates as high as 80% for critically ill patients. It has killed more than 3.9 million people worldwide with no strongly proven management options to decrease its mortality. One of the options gaining interest is fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage. Our study was conducted to assess the clinical outcome of intubated Coronavirus disease patients that had a fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage done.

A consecutive prospective case series of intubated patients with critical Coronavirus disease pneumonia were conducted at Bethzatha general hospital from April 20, 2021, to July 30, 2021 GC.

Five patients with a median age of 55 years were included in the study. The median APACHE II, SAPS II, and SOFA scores on admission were 13, 37, and 4 respectively. The difference in the mean values of; positive end-expiratory pressure, static compliance, plateau pressure, fractional inspired oxygen, and arterial oxygen tension to fractional inspired oxygen ratio between the time of intubation and the last fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage were 4.4 cmH₂O, 11 ml/cmH₂O, 6.2 cmH₂O, 45%, and 76 mmHg. All patients were liberated from mechanical ventilation.

- There was a numerically and clinically significant improvement in lung mechanics and oxygenation leading to a 100% ventilator liberation rate. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage in Coronavirus disease patients can improve lung mechanics, oxygenation, and rates of extubation.