Alveolar proteinosis. Lobar lavage by fiberoptic bronchoscopic technique.
Lavage limited to an isolated lobe was performed on multiple occasions using a cuffed fiberoptic bronchoscope in a patient with alveolar proteinosis. Sequential ventilation-perfusion scintiphotoscans were used to preselect and follow the functional behavior of the lavaged lobe. Lavage led to functional improvement. The technique of fiber-optic bronchoscopic lobar lavage is simple and may find application in patients in whom lavage of an entire lung may be hazardous.
D000328:Adult; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung; D008297:Male; D055100:Optical Fibers; D011649:Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods*; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio