BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of mechanical ventilation combined with fiberoptic bronchoalveolar lavage in patients with severe pulmonary infection.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We randomly divided 81 patients with severe pulmonary infection into a control group (n=40) and an observation group (n=41). Both groups were treated using mechanical ventilation, and observation group additionally received assistive fiberoptic bronchoalveolar lavage.

RESULTS: The cure rate and effectiveness rate in the observation group were higher than in the control group (P<0.05, χ²=3.2), and the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05, χ²=9.4). The partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) and oxygen saturation (SaO₂) were higher in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05, t=3.862, t=33.595), whereas the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂) and respiratory rate were lower in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05, t=3.307, t=5.043). The levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in the 2 groups were lower after treatment than before treatment (all P<0.05), and the levels in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05). Hospital stay, infection control window appearance time, invasive mechanical ventilation time, and total mechanical ventilation time in the observation group were shorter than those in the control group (P<0.05, t=13.990, t=8.643, t=9.717, t=8.980).

CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical ventilation combined with fiberoptic bronchoalveolar lavage can effectively improve the curative effects and the blood gas and inflammation indicators in patients.

Keywords: Bronchoalveolar Lavage, Lung Diseases, Ventilation, Blood Gas Analysis, infections, Patients, Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated, Random Allocation, Respiration, Artificial