King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH) in Riyadh has successfully performed a whole-lung lavage on a 10-year-old girl in a single session lasting approximately nine hours.
The procedure was performed to treat a rare lung disease that had caused her blood oxygen saturation to drop to 79%, compared with the normal range of 95% to 100%, a Saudi Press Agency (SPA) report said. The girl was discharged five days later in stable condition without complications.
The girl had experienced persistent shortness of breath, severe fatigue, difficulty walking, and weight loss due to pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), a rare disease in which proteins and fats accumulate in the air sacs of the lungs, preventing oxygen from passing efficiently into the bloodstream. Her condition had progressed to an advanced stage, leaving her dependent on continuous supplemental oxygen.
Using a specialised tube
The medical team performed the procedure using a specialised tube that allowed each lung to be managed independently, maintaining ventilation through one lung while the other was washed. The team began by flushing the first lung in stages with warm saline to remove the accumulated material, repeatedly draining and replacing the fluid until it became nearly clear. The same process was then performed on the second lung.
Following the procedure, the girl was monitored in the paediatric intensive care unit, where her breathing gradually improved. Her supplemental oxygen requirement decreased from 4.5 litres to one litre per minute over the following days, and she was discharged in stable condition.
The successful procedure highlights KFSH’s ability to treat rare and complex paediatric lung conditions and perform delicate interventions requiring independent ventilation of each lung, enabling the hospital to manage advanced cases requiring specialised care.—TradeArabia News Service
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