Failure of bronchopulmonary lavage in cystic fibrosis.

In an attempt to retard deterioration of pulmonary function, a young man 
with cystic fibrosis underwent broncho-pulmonary lavage of an entire lung. In 
spite of theoretical advantages, the lavage produced an acute deterioration in 
the patient's clinical and physiologic status, from which he had not 
recovered one month later. We conclude that bronchopulmonary lavage in cystic 
fibrosis may be hazardous and should be reserved for those cases 
in which conventional methods of improving tracheobronchial clearance have failed. 