Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases  1999;47(3):406-413

doi:10.4046/trd.1999.47.3.406

Two cases of Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Improved by Whole Lung Lavage.

Seong Su JEONG 1 ; Dong Won KANG ; Kyu Seung LEE ; Dong Seok KO ; Jae Chul SUH ; Keun Hwa KIM ; Jin Whan KIM ; Jung Un LEE ; Ju Ock KIM ; Sun Young KIM

Affiliations

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Keywords

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis; Whole lung lavage

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis(PAP) is a disorder in which an insoluble, proteinaceous material, rich in phospholipid, is deposited on alveoli and bronchioles. Several cases were reported since 1986, and the numbers of patients is increasing in Korea. Although the pathogenesis and causative treatment of PAP is not well known, whole lung lavage is the only consistently successful treatment. We report 2 cases of PAP which were confirmed by open lung biopsy with electron microscopy and clinically improved by whole lung lavage with a review of literature.