DISTAL ACINAR EMPHYSEMA AND INTERSTITIAL PNEUMONIA IN A PATIENT WITH VON-RECKLINGHAUSENS-DISEASE - 5-YEAR OBSERVATION FOLLOWING QUITTING SMOKING

Cystic lesion, malignancy and interstitial pneumonia are well-known as pulmonary complications of patients with von Recklinghausen's disease , We report herein an unusual patient with distaI acinar emphysema and interstitial pneumonia of prominent hypercellularity demonstrated by transbronchial biopsy and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Six mo nths after quitting smoking, the total cell count of BALF was remarkab ly reduced. This patient remains stable under 5-year observation in te rms of symptoms and findings of both BALF and pulmonary function tests , Quitting smoking may have facilitated a favorable prognosis for the particular lung disease complicated in this patient.