Abstract
Pulmonary disease in the pediatric cancer patient continues to pose a difficult clinical dilemma. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is commonly utilized for the diagnosis of pulmonary complications in the immunocompromised child. We retrospectively reviewed 53 BAL procedures performed in pediatric cancer patients with pulmonary disease between 1988 and 1998 to determine the diagnostic and clinical utility of BAL. Patients who had undergone prior myeloablative therapy were excluded from analysis. The majority of patients (83%) had an underlying diagnosis of acute leukemia or lymphoma. BAL yielded a specific diagnosis in 16 patients (30%), including 15 infections and 1 malignant infiltration. Medical management was altered in an additional 14 patients (26%) as a consequence of a negative BAL result. Severe but transient complications associated with the BAL procedure occurred in four patients (8%). Minor complications following the BAL occurred in 21 patients (40%) and included transiently increased oxygen requirement and anesthesia-related gastrointestinal complaints. The mortality from lung disease in this patient population was 7.5%. Both positive and negative BAL results contribute to the management of pediatric cancer patients with pulmonary disease. The low incidence of significant complications associated with BAL and the high mortality rate in this patient population support the choice of BAL as an initial diagnostic test in pediatric cancer patients with pulmonary disease.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.