Bronchoalveolar lavage of the live anaesthetised sheep

Segmental lavage was performed on anaesthetised adult sheep using either endoscopic catheterisation or fibreoptic bronchoscopy. Cellular and humoral data were compared with results obtained from gross lavage of whole excised lungs. Both techniques proved rapid, convenient and reproducible, providing sufficient material for qualitative and quantitative assays of respiratory cells and fluid. Although total cells per unit volume of fluid obtained by catheterisation or by bronchoscopy were decreased compared with whole lung lavage, differential cell populations, fluid recovery and immunoglobulin and complement (C3) concentrations were comparable.