Diagnostic Value of Bronchoscopic Procedures and Postbronchoscopic Sputum in Suspected Pulmonary Tuberculosis ; A Pilot Study

In patients, suspected to have pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) on clinical and radiological grounds, but who have negative sputum results for Acid-Fast Bacilli (AFB) or who do not expectorate adequate sputum for testing fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) is a useful method for overcoming definitive diagnostic difficulties. This study has aimed at comparing the diagnostic value of the data acquired by the sampling procedures applied with FOB and the diagnostic value of the post bronchoscopy sputum samples. The study included 31 patients. Using FOB, bronchoalveolar lavage, catheter mediated aspiration, bronchial brush biopsy andtransbronchial biopsy were performed. Samples of secretion aspiration were taken before terminating the procedure. Sputum samples were taken in the first 24 hours after FOB. On all the samples obtained AFB direct spread microscopy and AFB culture seeding were carried out. The transbronchial biopsy samples were investigated histologically.: Confirmatory PTB diagnoses were made in 14 (46.6%) patients within 1-2 days by the FOB assisted procedures performed . When bronchoalveolar lavage and catheter mediated aspiration were performed, definitive PTB diagnoses were made in 25 (83.3%) patients. When the results on one of the 3 post FOB sputum samples were also included, 26 (86.6%) patients were diagnosed with PTB. Among the FOB assisted procedures, bronchoalveolar lavage and catheter mediated aspiration have been found especially useful. Inclusion of the post FOB sputum sample results leads to faster diagnoses and diagnostic confirmation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Date of Submission: 06-06-2018 Date Of Acceptance: 24-06-2018 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------