Bronchoalveolar Lavage

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the leading killer of adults in developing and underdeveloped nations. HIV/ AIDS have also contributed to increase in the incidence of tuberculosis. In our study, we evaluated the significance of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in the early diagnosis of occult sputum smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis. We could establish the diagnosis of tuberculosis in 20 (87%) of the sputum smear negative samples with the help of BAL samples. Thus, BAL samples are very useful in early sputum smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis with minimal complications in the hands of an expert. Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains one of the most important health problems in the world. However many patients with suspected PTB do not produce sputum spontaneously or are smear-negative for AFB.

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Last date updated on September, 2024