Investigative use of bronchoscopy, lavage and bronchial biopsies in asthma and other airways diseases

Abstract

While bronchoscopy is performed routinely in the clinical practice of pulmonary medicine, additional research applications have been developed using this procedure to obtain cellular and other components of the airway alveolar lining fluid from patients with a variety of lung diseases The results of these studies have enhanced our understanding of the pathogenesis and management of pulmonary disease.