Bronchoscopy on Intubated Patients with COVID-19 Is Associated with Low Infectious Risk to Operators

Gao and colleagues present and discusses a study focused on bronchoscopy among intubated patients with COVID-19 associated with low infectious risk to operators. Their data represent the first detailed report of infectious risks to providers from a large-volume center that routinely incorporates BAL as part of critical care for patients with and without COVID-19 respiratory failure. The researchers also hypothesized that careful bronchoscopy technique can limit infectious risk. Although limited to a single center, our data suggest that the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to providers performing BAL is low. No provider developed COVID-19, and only one had positive serology.