Transbronchial Lung Biopsy for Differential Diagnosis of Acute Pulmonary Failure

Abstract

Acute pulmonary insufficiency can be caused by numerous lung injuries like different forms of shock, hypoxia, aspiration or toxic agents, and by different inflammatory lung diseases, which often are impossible to differentiate by clinical or radiological examinations. The poor prognosis of these patients may possibly be improved by an early and exact diagnosis followed by an appropriate therapy. During artificial ventilation the application of perthoracic needle biopsy and surgical lung biopsy techniques involves a high risk of complications. Therefore transbronchial lung biopsy could be an alternative in this situation. We report on experiences with the transbronchial lung biopsy in patients who were artificially ventilated.