Role of bronchoalveolar lavage in hospitalized pediatric patients. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) has been shown to be a rapid, relatively safe, and relatively noninvasive diagnostic procedure. Theoretically, BAL can be performed on all children hospitalized for pneumonia resistant to oral antibiotics, though practically and economically, this is not feasible. A 1-year retrospective review was conducted to define a cost-effective role for BAL in the management of hospitalized children with resistant pneumonia. The data revealed identification of at least one pathogen in 87% of sputum samples and in 95% of BAL specimens. Sputum samples provided the same information as the more invasive BAL technique in 60% of patients who had both sputum and BAL obtained for culture. Recommendations are made for the use of BAL as a diagnostic tool in the hospitalized child with resistant pneumonia.

publication date

  • November 1, 1996

Research

keywords

  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage
  • Hospitalization
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial
  • Pneumonia

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 10544234197

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1177/000348949610501104

PubMed ID

  • 8916860

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 105

issue

  • 11