Assessment of the Diagnostic Capacity of the Mini-broncho Alveolar Lavage Performed Through a Suction Catheter

Overview

The aim of this study is to develop a safe and effective technique to take sample for lower respiratory tract cultures easy to perform in conditions of acute respiratory failure and spontaneous ventilation for patients admitted in intensive care unit for acute infectious pneumonia and non intubated. The investigators perform sample collection with a mini bronchoalveolar lavage catheter introduced by nasotracheal way through a suction catheter. The purpose of the study is to assess the microbiological diagnostic capacity of this new technique.

At the moment we lack an effective and safe technique to obtain lower respiratory tract cultures for patient with mild serious infectious pneumonia admitted in intensive care unit and non intubated. Invasive procedure may worsen respiratory distress and non invasive procedure such expectorated sputum culture is not enough effective. The purpose of the study is to assess the microbiological diagnosis capacity of a new technique for taking samples from the lower respiratory tract: mini bronchoalveolar lavage performed by naso tracheal way through a suction catheter.Each consecutive patient admitted in intensive care unit for a community acquired or nosocomial pneumonia and not requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation will be included. Written informed consent by patient himself will be required. For each patient, after the introduction of a suction catheter, an endotracheal aspiration will be performed. Then, the mini bronchoalveolar lavage will be performed through the suction catheter with a specific catheter.The whole time of the procedure is about ten minutes.Expectorated sputum will also be ordered for each patient.This study is a pilot and prospective study.