A Case of Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis in which a New Approach to the Traditional Whole Lung Lavage Technique is Preformed

Abstract

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare interstitial lung disease that is characterized by an accumulation of surfactant composed of proteins and lipids in the alveoli. Whole Lung Lavage (WLL) protocols, which have been used for more than half a century and are still considered the optimum approach, vary accord-ing to centers, and there is no standard lavage tech-nique. In this case report we describe a method that does not require technology in which the patient's chest is vibrated with strong and rhythmic movements, using it instead of the manual vibration method used in our WLL applications for the mechanical washing of the alveolar space. In this case report, we also draw attention to the fact that intensive care hospitali-zation can be prevented by CPAP treatment in the recovery room before hypoxemia deepens. In conclu-sion, our case report shows that more lung areas can be included in the lavage through the addition of the easily accessible and applicable vibration method that we describe to the WLL technique. The study also reports on our observations that CPAP support ap-plied during postoperative recovery can reduce the hospitalization of patients in intensive care after WLL.