Clinical utility of bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial biopsy.

ABSTRACT

A retrospective study is reported of the efficacy of 167 cases of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and 212 cases of transbronchial biopsy (TBB) between August 1991 and August 1992. BAL & TBB gave diagnostic yields of 38.7% in smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis, 33% in primary or metastatic lung cancer and 55% in immunocompromised patients with pulmonary infiltrates. Overall diagnostic yield for BAL, TBB, BAL and TBB were 33, 35.8 and 39.8%. With future development, BAL and TBB will enhance the strengths of diagnostic competency for an increasing array of pulmonary diseases.