Whole Lung Lavage in a Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Patient with Severe Respiratory Failure

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare interstitial lung disease that develops as a result of defects in the clearance of surfactant by alveolar macrophages. The accumulation of lipid- and protein-rich substances in the alveoli constitutes the main pathology of this disease. PAP has three types of aetiology: autoimmune (primary), congenital and secondary. The most common form in adults is autoimmune PAP. Whole lung lavage is a commonly performed method for treatment of this form of disease, especially in more severe cases. Performed under general anaesthesia, the material deposited in the alveoli is removed by washing. In this paper, we present a whole lung lavage under anaesthesia in a PAP patient who had severe respiratory failure.