Bronchoscopy on Intubated COVID-19 Patients is Associated with Low Infectious Risk to Operators at a High-Volume Center Using an Aerosol-minimizing Protocol.
Catherine Aiyuan GaoJoseph Isaac BaileyJames M WalterJohn M ColemanElizabeth S MalsinA Christine ArgentoMichelle H PrickettRichard G WunderinkSean B SmithPublished in: medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences (2020)
At a high-volume center having performed >450 BALs on intubated COVID-19 patients with aerosol-limiting precautions, our survey of bronchoscopists found no positive NP SARS-CoV-2 tests and only one positive antibody test result. While the optimal role for COVID-19 BAL remains to be determined, these data suggest that BAL can be safely performed in intubated COVID-19 patients if experienced providers take precautions to limit aerosol generation and wear personal protective equipment.