Three cases of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Kim, Yeon Jae; Han, Chun Duk; Cha, Seung Ick; Kim, Chang Ho; Lee, Yeung Suk; Park, Jae Yong; Jung, Tae Hoon; Park, Tae In; Sohn, Yun Kyung

doi:1993.40.4.416

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 40(4); 1993 > Article

Case Reports

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 1993;40(4):416-423.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1993.40.4.416 Published online August 1, 1993.

Three cases of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Yeon Jae Kim¹, Chun Duk Han¹, Seung Ick Cha¹, Chang Ho Kim¹, Yeung Suk Lee¹, Jae Yong Park¹, Tae Hoon Jung¹, Tae In Park¹, Yun Kyung Sohn²

¹Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Taegu, Korea
²Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Taegu, Korea

Abstract

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis(PAP) is thought to be a rare disease of unknown etiology characterized by the accumulation of strong PAS.positive lipoproteinaceous material in the pulmonary alveolar spaces. The defect in the clearance and degradation of intra-alveolar phos-pholipoproteinaceous material in PAP likely represents dysfunction of type II pneumocytes. Although the causative treatment of PAP is not well known, yet whole lung bronchopulmonary lavage is a relatively safe and effective treatment. We experienced three cases of PAP, which were confirmed by light and electron microscopic examinations of lung tissues obtained by open lung biopsy, transbronchial lung biopsy and lung lavage, so we present 3 cases of PAP with a review of the literature.

Key Words: Pulmonary alveolar protinosis, Lung lavage