ISHLT Consensus Statement for the Standardization of Bronchoalveolar Lavage in Lung Transplantation

Published 14 July 2020

Tereza Martinu, MD; Angela Koutsokera, MD, PhD; Christian Benden, MD, FCCP; Edward Cantu, MD; Daniel Chambers, MD; Marcelo Cypel, MD, MSc; Jeffrey Edelman, MD; Amir Emtiazjoo, MD, MSc; Andrew J. Fisher, PhD, FRCP; John R. Greenland, MD, PhD; Don Hayes Jr, MD, MS, MEd; David Hwang, MD, PhD, FRCP; Brian C. Keller, MD, PhD; Erika D. Lease, MD; Michael Perch, MD; Masaaki Sato, MD, PhD; Jamie L. Todd, MD; Stijn Verleden, PhD; Jan von der Thüsen, MA, MBBS, PhD; S. Samuel Weigt, MD, MS; Shaf Keshavjee, MD, MSc, FRCSC, FACS

J Heart Lung Transplant. Nov 2020; 39(11):1171-1190

• Advanced Lung Failure & Transplantation
• Consensus Document
• Publications & Journals
• Pulmonology
• Standards & Guidelines

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a key clinical and research tool in lung transplantation. However, BAL collection and processing are not standardized across lung transplant centers. This International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation consensus document on BAL standardization aims to enhance standardization and multi-center collaboration within the international lung transplant community and enable improvement and development of new BAL-based diagnostics by clarifying definitions, proposing common approaches to improve clinical and research practice standards, and harmonizing clinical and research practices for BAL collection and processing in lung transplantation.

This consensus statement covers nine areas:

1. Bronchoscopy procedure and BAL collection
2. Sample handling
3. Sample processing for microbiology
4. Cytology
5. Research
6. Microbiome
7. Sample inventory/tracking
8. Donor bronchoscopy
9. Pediatric considerations

Read at JHLT