11-litre saline wash op saves woman’s lungs

Kolkata: A 34-year-old woman from Behrampore, who was suffering from breathlessness and dry cough for a year, underwent a complex surgery called Whole Lung Lavage, at NRS Medical College and Hospital. Doctors washed her lungs using 11 litres of saline. The patient is now breathing without oxygen support.When the mother of a 12-year-old, was brought to the hospital, her oxygen saturation dropped to around 80% on room air, indicating serious respiratory compromise. A CT scan of the chest revealed "crazy paving" pattern, raising suspicion of an uncommon disease. Doctors found milky white material inside the lungs. Tests confirmed the diagnosis of Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis — a rare disorder in which proteinaceous material accumulates inside the air sacs of the lungs, severely impairing oxygen exchange.Since medicines have limited benefit, WLL was performed. This procedure involves isolating one lung under general anaesthesia and repeatedly washing the diseased lung with warm saline to remove the abnormal deposits. A team from chest medicine, cardiothoracic anaesthesia, cardiothoracic surgery, pathology, nursing and operation theatre services was formed. Conducted with support from doctors including Jaydip Deb, Anupam Patra, Sukanta Kodali, Priyanka Ray, Mostafi Ahamed, Jaydeep Saha, Sampa Dutta, Aditi Das Ghara and Asish Halder, and Arghya Bandopadhyay.