Case of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis treated by sequential whole-lung lavages and a review of the condition.

We report our first local case of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis that required symptomatic therapy with whole lung lavage. This is a rare condition associated with the accumulation of phospholipid material in the alveoli. The presentation is usually insidious and the symptomatology varies from vague complaints to severe crippling dyspnoea. The diagnosis is often delayed and usually made after the exclusion of other conditions. While there is no definitive treatment apart from lung transplant, whole-lung lavage is a safe, repeatable procedure which offers the best prospect for symptomatic, physiological and radiological improvement in severe cases.