Role of bronchoalveolar lavage in hospitalized pediatric patients.
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.
Department of Otolaryngology, New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center, New York 10021, USA.
M R
MR
Yagoda
J
J
Stavola
R
R
Ward
C
C
Steinberg
J
J
Jones
D000293:Adolescent; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000191:economics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014780:Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification