title: [Risks and side effects of diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage in ventilated patients].
abstract: Bronchoalveolar lavage is used increasingly often as a diagnostic tool in critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Most patients, even those with haemodynamic instability or respiratory failure, tolerate the procedure without marked adverse effects. A relatively small proportion of patients, however, will experience potentially deleterious side effects like prolonged deterioration of pulmonary mechanics, oxygen desaturation or sepsis-like symptoms. Despite all precautions, it is not possible to date to identify increased-risk patients beforehand. The potential benefits, namely, early diagnosis of an aetiological agent who is responsible for infection, must therefore be carefully weighted against the risks.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivtherapie, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D003422:Critical Care; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen