Reappraisal of lung tap : Review of an old method for better etiologic diagnosis of childhood pneumonia

Abstract

Identification of the etiology of childhood pneumonia is difficult, even in the cases that most likely have bacterial origins. A positive blood culture result is diagnostic but rare (50% of cases (virological tests were rarely done); (2) lung tap is safer than is generally considered; (3) potential pneumothorax is mostly symptomless and resolves spontaneously without impairing recovery; and (4) in comparison with routine diagnostic tools, lung tap offers so many advantages that it warrants reconsideration at centers where personnel have experience in handling potential pneumothorax.