Evaluation of Lungs of Normal Individuals by Lung Lavage, Brushing and Bronchial Wall Biopsy

Lung Lavage is a Washing. Bronchoscopy consists of the passage via the mouth or nose of a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy into the airways. During the lavage (washing) procedure, sterile 0.9% saline (5 x 20 ml aliquots in 1 to 3 sites) is instilled into the lung and immediately suctioned back, washing off cells lining the airways. Once the fluid has been collected, the fluid is centrifuged and the cells are collected and counted.

Bronchoscopy consists of the passage via the mouth or nose of a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy into the airways. During the brushing procedure, a small cytology brush is passed through the bronchoscope, and a small area of the airway wall is brushed gently (in up to 20 different sites in the large and small airways) to obtain epithelial cells lining the airway. Cells collected by airway brushing will be washed, counted, and evaluated for viability. They will also be studied for differential cell count by standard procedures. Collected airway cells will be used to carry out studies assess expression of various genes and to study viral gene transfer.

This is a safe and widely used investigative method in pulmonary medicine. In this procedure, a small biopsy forceps is passed through the bronchoscope and, under direct vision, a small biopsy (in up to 5 sites) is obtained from the bronchial wall. A biopsy obtains tissue to a depth of 2-3 mm, and includes epithelial and subepithelial tissue.