Direct visualization of the airways and fluid sampling from within the lungs — a quick, low-risk same-day procedure.
This procedure uses a flexible camera — approximately the size of a pencil — to directly inspect the trachea (windpipe) and smaller airways. During bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), a small amount of sterile fluid is instilled into a section of lung and then gently recovered, bringing lung cells and organisms along with it.
The fluid is sent to the laboratory to check for infections (bacterial, fungal, viral), cancer cells, or inflammatory conditions. The procedure is performed under anesthesia as a same-day service in the hospital's endoscopy unit.