Whole lung lavage: the salvage therapy for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

A 53-year-old school teacher presented with progressive exertional breathlessness and dry cough of three months duration. His diagnosis was confirmed as pulmonary alveolar proteinosis on open lung biopsy. In about three months, the disease progressed to life threatening respiratory failure. He was subjected to whole lung lavage (WLL) as a salvage therapy. The technical details of WLL performed on this patient are described. At six months follow up, he was clinically and functionally stable and leading a near normal life.