WHOLE-LUNG LAVAGE IN ALVEOLAR PROTEINOSIS BY A MODIFIED LAVAGE TECHNIQUE

Whole-lung lavage is the only efficient treatment in pulmonary alveola r proteinosis. A 36-year-old woman with severe pulmonary alveolar prot einosis confirmed by video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsies underw ent repetitive whole-lung lavages without improvement. A modified tech nique consisting of manual ventilation between instillation and aspira tion of half the amount of saline used for conventional lavage was app lied. Impressive clinical and functional improvement occurred and pers isted for 1 year. We believe that the amelioration can be attributed t o the technique described above.