title: Risks and complications of nonbronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage in a pediatric intensive care unit.
abstract: This paper aims to document the risks and complications of nonbronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage (NB-BAL) in 35 mechanically ventilated patients with diffuse severe pneumonia in a single pediatric intensive care unit. A prospective collection of data on patients' ventilatory settings and oxygen requirements before NB-BAL, and oxyhemoglobin saturations and heart rate readings before, during, and after the procedure were taken on each patient. The major complication of NB-BAL was arterial desaturation, which was more severe and prolonged in patients with poor oxygenation indices and PaO(2)/FiO(2) ratios. The diagnostic yield of the procedure was high at 69%.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. rxhphysi@pawc.wcape.gov.za
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Argent
mesh_terms: D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D010108:Oxyhemoglobins