Pulmonary & Respiratory Medicine

Role of Bronchoalveolar Lavage in the Diagnosis of Sputum Smear Negative Tuberculosis

Abstract

Sandeep Gupta and Kanu Goel

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.