RAJAMANI KASI,PRASANTH GURURAJ,GANGADHARAN VADIVELU
DOI: https://doi.org/Background: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is the gold standard for diagnosing lower respiratory tract infections but is limited by its invasiveness and need for specialized equipment. Mini-bronchoalveolar lavage (mini-BAL) offers a less invasive alternative suitable for bedside use in critically ill patients.
Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic yield, safety, and procedural efficiency of a novel dual-lumen mini-BAL device in comparison with conventional BAL and endotracheal aspirate (ETA).
Materials and Methods: This prospective comparative study included 70 adult ICU patients at a tertiary hospital. Microbial and fungal cultures from BAL, mini-BAL, and ETA were analysed. A novel mini-BAL device was designed using medical-grade polyurethane and silicone. Data were statistically analysed using SPSS v28.
Results: Mini-BAL demonstrated a diagnostic yield comparable to BAL and significantly higher than ETA. Strong correlation was observed between mini-BAL and BAL (r = 0.865 for bacteriology; r = 0.937 for mycology). Mini-BAL showed a sensitivity of 93.9% and specificity of 61.9%. No major complications were reported.
Conclusion: Mini-BAL is a safe, effective, and bedside-appropriate diagnostic tool that closely matches BAL in diagnostic performance while offering improved feasibility in critical care settings.
