Status Asthmaticus: use of acetylcysteine during bronchoscopy and lavage to remove mucous plugs.

Three patients suffering from severe, chronic, bronchial asthma underwent bronchoscopy and lavage, using in the irrigant fluid acetylcysteine, isoetharine and Solu-Medrol. All patients had a large amount of thick mucus in the tracheobronchial tree which was removed during the lavage. Following the lavage, all three patients were easily treated with conventional allergic measures and were able to lead normal lives, which they could not do before. A discussion of the precautions to be taken by the medical-surgical team in charge of a patient undergoing bronchoscopy and lavage is made. These conclusions were based on the results of two previous reports by the authors in addition to the present communication.