Oxygen desaturation induced by bronchoalveolar lavage.

Our study demonstrates that bronchoalveolar lavage can induce significant desaturation in patients with a resting PaO2 of below 70 torr, and that supplemental oxygen at 5 L/min through a nasal cannula may not prevent a marked drop in the oxygen saturation during this procedure. Therefore, measures to provide higher FiO2 should be offered to assure adequate oxygenation in severely ill patients requiring bronchoalveolar lavage.