A simple radio-isotopic method for the detection of bronchial inhalation during intensive care

The high incidence of pneumopathy in intensive care units might be due to the pulmonary aspiration of gastric juice following gastro-oesophageal reflux. The paper describes a radio-isotopic method using material easy to install at the patient's bedside. This technique demonstrated aspiration of gastric juice in the lungs of 8 of 25 intensive care patients investigated. Such a method might be useful later to demonstrate that silent bronchial aspirations of gastric juice are responsible for pulmonary complications.