The telescoping plugged catheter in suspected anaerobic infections. A controlled series.

The results of bacterial cultures from transtracheal aspiration and from aspirations obtained by a new telescoping plugged catheter were compared in specimens taken from 13 patients with suspected anaerobic infections of the lower respiratory tract. When all bacterial isolates (potential aerobic pathogens, aerobic nonpathogens, and anaerobes) were counted with transtracheal aspiration as the standard method for comparison, cultures of material obtained by the telescoping plugged catheter technique yielded 22 false negatives and 14 false positives. The results of the 2 methods were in complete agreement in only 3 paired specimens cultured aerobically and in only 6 paired specimens cultured anaerobically. When only potential aerobic pathogens and anaerobes were considered with transtracheal aspiration as the standard method for comparison, cultures of material obtained by the telescoping plugged catheter technique yielded 11 false negatives and 7 false positives, and the results of the 2 methods were in complete agreement in 9 paired specimens cultured aerobically and 6 paired specimens cultured anaerobically. Our results suggest that fiberoptic bronchoscopy using the telescoping plugged catheter technique may be an acceptable method for collecting specimens from the lower respiratory tract, but further studies comparing this method with transtracheal aspiration are needed.