Use of bronchopulmonary lavage for eliminating inhaled fume particles froma patient with arc welder's lung

A 42-year-old man, who had worked as a welder for 20 years, was admitted to our hospital complaining of a dry cough. A chest radiograph showed diffuse small nodular shadows and chest computed tomography revealed small patchy opacities, A transbronchial lung biopsy specimen showed welding fume partic les mainly located in alveolar space with mild fibrosis of alveolar septa. In order to prevent further fibrosis, bronchopulmonary lavage (BPL) was per formed to eliminate the fume particles. The amount of iron particles derive d from the total lavage fluid was 911.7 mg.