[A technique for sampling uncontaminated peripheral bronchial secretions in patients wih intubation or tracheostomy...

Sixty patients were studied during non cardiac thoracic surgery. In 21,6 p. cent a culture of organism was isolated and for 53.8 p. cent of them developed a pneumonic process during postoperative period. The organism'role was confirmed by clinical correlation and an abnormal chent radiograph. The same organism was isolated in blood culture sputum or empyema. On the other side the patients with sterile cultures had always a favorable course. The results confirmed the interest of the method which would permit a prophylactic antibiotherapy.