Abstract
Bronchoalveolar lavage is a relatively new technique that is used to study the local cellular, biochemical and immunological changes occuring in the lower respiratory tract. The procedure involves instilling a fixed volume of saline into a lung segment after the flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope is wedged into a distal bronchus. The saline is aspirated back and can be used for microbiological and other studies. Recently, attempts have been made to standardise the procedure in children and obtain data on BAL cellular profile in healthy children.
The main indications for BAL are diagnostic, particularly to diagnose unusual infections in immunocompromised children. It is also helpful in the diagnosis of a number on non infectious conditions, based on the cellular profile and other constituents. With the availability of new techniques like flow cytometry, analysis of lymphoctye and other cell subsets has become possible leading to a better understanding of the immunopathgenesis of various respiratory diseases.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Reynolds HY. Bronchoalveolar lavage.Am Rev Respir Dis 1987;135:250–263.
Klech H and Pohl W. Technical recommendations and guidelines for BAL. Report of the European Society of Pneumology Task group on BAL.Eur Resp J 1989;2:561–585.
Goldstein RA, Rohatgi PK, Bergofsky EMet al. Clinical role of bronchoalveolar lavage in adults with pulmonary disease.Am Rev Respir Dis 1990;42:481–486.
Sharma SK and Pande JN. BAL: Application in pulmonary diseases.Ind J Chest Dis & All Sci 1990;32:157–176.
Frankel LR, Smith DW and Lewiston NJ. Bronchoalveolar lavage for diagnosis of pneumonia in the immuno compromised child.Pediatrics 1988;81:785–788.
Kahn FW and Jones JM. Diagnosing bacterial respiratory infection by bronchoalveolar lavage.J Infect Dis 1987; 155:862–869.
Thorpe JE, Baughman RP, Frame PTet al. Bronchoalveolar lavage for diagnosing acute bacterial pneumonia.J Infect Dis. 1987;155:855–861.
Somu N, Swaminathan S, Paramasiven CNet al. Value of bronchoalveolar lavage and gastric lavage in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children.Tubercle 1995;76:295–299.
Abadco DL and Steiner P. Gastric lavage is better than bronchoalveolar lavage for isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in childhood pulmonary tuberculosis.Pediatr Infect Dis J 1992;11:735–8.
Ratjen F, Bredendiek M, Brendel Met al. Differential cytology of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in normal children.Eur Resp J 1994;7:1865–1870.
Riedler J, Grigg J, Stone Cet al. Bronchoalveolar lavage cellularity in healthy children.Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1995;152:163–168.
Saltini C, Hance AJ, Ferrans VJet al. Accurate quantification of cells recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage.Am Rev Respir Dis 1984;130:650–658.
Wilcox ML, Kervitsky A, Walters LC and King TE. Quantification of cells recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage. Comparison of cytocentrifuge preparations with the filter method.Am Rev Respir Dis 1988;138:74–80.
Ronchetti R, Villani A, Dotta Aet al. Pediatric BAL: Reference values.Am Rev Respir Dis 1992;145(4):A556.
Klech H and Hutter C. Clinical guidelines and indications for bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL): Report of the European Society of Pneumology Task Group on BAL.Eur Resp J 1990;3:937–974.
Nowakowski M, Chan SP, Steiner Pet al. Different distributions of lung and blood lymphocyte subsets in pediatric AIDS or tuberculosis.Ann Clin Lab Sci 1992;22:377–384.
Soumya Swaminathan, Somu N, Venkatesan Pet al. Cellular profile of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in pulmonary tuberculosis.Arch Dis Child 1995;73:182–182.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Swaminathan, S., Vijayasekaran, D. & Somu, N. Bronchoalveolar lavage in pediatrics. Indian J Pediatr 63, 163–169 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02845240
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02845240