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Bronchoalveolar Lavage in the Nonimmunocompromised Patient

1989; Elsevier BV; Volume: 96; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1378/chest.96.5.1184

1931-3543

R A Helmers, Gary W. Hunninghake,

Inhalation and Respiratory Drug Delivery

Although the technique of washing the lung with physiologic saline solution to remove accumulated material has been used therapeutically for many years, it was with the advent of the use of flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the 1970s that bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) became an important clinical and investigational tool. The concept on which the use of BAL is based is that cells and noncellular components present on the epithelial surface of the alveoli are representative of the inflammatory and immune system of the entire lower respiratory tract.