Current diagnostic status of bronchoalveolar lavage studies.

Vijayan, V.K.

Indian Journal of Clinical Practice; 1993; 3; 51-54.

Bronchoalveolar lavage using flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy has emerged as a powerful investigative tool in respiratory medicine. It has helped in better understanding of pathogenesis of various interstitial lung diseases especially idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoiddosis. It has also been found useful in the diagnosis of various infectious and non-infectious diseases of lung particularly in immunodeficient patients. Even though this technique is used all over the world, it is still a research tool and more studies are required to exactly assess its value as a diagnostic tool in clinical medicine. BAL is a safe procedure.

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