Fibrobronchoscopy, Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Transbronchial Biopsy in the Diagnosis ofDiseases of the Pulmonary Interstitium in Children

Overview

The authors describe the method of fibrobronchoscopy, bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial biopsy.They evaluate the results of transbronchial biopsies in 97 children where damage of the pulmonary interstitiumwas suspected.The pulmonary parenchyma was obtained by biopsy from 62 children (63.9%). Of these in 36 children someform of idiopathic interstitial pulmonary fibrosis was confirmed, in 6 children sarcoidosis (confirmed by cytologicalexamination of perbronchial puncture and in one case by histological examination). In one instance exogenousallergic alveolitis was confirmed by histological examination and in four children haemosiderosis (2x siderophagesin the bronchoalveolar lavage and 2x also by histological examination).In histologically confirmed findings the authors evaluate the bronchoscopic findings, they present the resultsof bronchoalveolar lavage (incl. evaluation of T lymphocytes - CD3 and CD4 a CD8 sub-populations). Theyconclude that BAL serves in IPCH in children for preliminary information although the correlation between thehistological findings of TBB and cytological finding from BAL is relatively close. TBB is one of the possible wayshow to verify damage of the pulmonary interstitium.In the authors’ opinion complete data on TBB and BAL in children with interstitial lung disease with evaluationof the endoscopic picture, BAL and histological findings were published for the first time.

Key words:
interstitial lung diseases in children, diagnosis, fibrobronchoscopy, bronchoalveolar lavage,