Bronchoscopies ‘add diagnostic certainty in COVID-19’
Specimens taken by bronchoalveolar lavage show the highest rates of positivity for SARS-CoV-2, researchers say
AusDoc brings you the latest news from the European Respiratory Society Congress 2020.
Despite concerns about the risk of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a bronchoscopy can be useful in selected patients with suspected or known COVID-19, Belgian doctors say.
In a presentation to delegates at the European Respiratory Society international virtual congress (ERS 2020) this week, the outcomes of 38 video bronchoscopies carried out between 19 March and 5 May were reported.
The indication for performing video bronchoscopies was diagnostic uncertainty in 31 patients that had repetitive negative PCR swabs for SARS-CoV-2 but high clinical indicators of COVID-19 and a positive chest CT.
