Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare diffuse lung disease characterized by accumulation of lipoproteinacious material in alveoli, with distinct features on high resolution computed tomography and biopsy. Its association with pulmonary fibrosis is infrequently encountered, and a clear understanding of the underlying pathogenesis is yet to be established. We report the case of a 48-year...

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) has been recognized for almost half a century. At least three separate pathophysiologic mechanisms may lead to the characteristic feature of PAP: the excessive accumulation of surfactant lipoprotein in pulmonary alveoli, with associated disturbance of pulmonary gas exchange. The prognosis for adult patients with PAP varies, but disease-specific survival rate...

Pulmonary surfactant is an essential lipid-protein complex that stabilizes the respiratory units (alveoli) involved in gas exchange. Quantitative or qualitative derangements in surfactant are associated with severe respiratory pathologies. The integrated regulation of surfactant synthesis, secretion, and metabolism is critical for air breathing and, ultimately, survival. The goal of this review...

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common and devastating condition which can affect all adult patients eg, medical, surgical and obstetric patients. It occurs when non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema (secondary to acute damage to the alveoli) leads to acute respiratory failure. Although the terms ARDS and ALI are used interchangeably, the American-European Consensus Conference Commit...

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is a rare disease of unknown aetiology. It is characterized by the presence of calcific concretions (calcospherites) inside the alveoli. We present a case of a 22 year old sickle cell anaemia patient with an incidental finding of PAM. This report is to highlight the fact that though rare, PAM is not entirely unheard of in this environment and should be ke...

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common and devastating condition which can affect all adult patients eg, medical, surgical and obstetric patients. It occurs when non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema (secondary to acute damage to the alveoli) leads to acute respiratory failure. Although the terms ARDS and ALI are used interchangeably, the American-European Consensus Conference Commit...

Ventilation The four main processes involved in gas exchange in the lungs include ventilation (the movement of air in and out of the lungs), distribution (the partitioning of the ventilated gases into the various lobes, segments and lobules), diffusion (the movement of gases back and forth between the alveoli and the plasma and red blood cells), and perfusion (the circulation of blood through t...

An immortalized cell line derived from human ADENOCARCINOMA, ALVEOLAR basal epithelial cells isolated from the lungs of a male patient in 1972. The cell line is positive for KERATIN, can synthesize LECITHIN, and contains high levels of POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS in its PLASMA MEMBRANE. It is used as a model for PULMONARY ALVEOLI function and virus infections, as a TRANSFECTION host, and for PR...

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare lung disease where periodic acid Schiff (PAS)-positive eosinophilic material accumulates in the alveoli of the lungs. Here we describe two cases of young males who presented with dynpnoea and weight loss. The HRCT scan of the chest in both cases showed the typical "crazy-paving" pattern and lung biopsies confirmed the diagnosis of PAP. They showed ...

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare idiopathic lung disease characterized by the accumulation of lipoproteinaceous material within the alveoli, which impairs gas transfer and decreases the ventilation/perfusion ratio, and can lead to respiratory failure. Whole lung lavage is the most effective therapy for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, but may not be tolerated by patients with severe resp...