Bronchoscopic Lobar Lavage in the Treatment of a Single Lung Transplant Recipient With Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis: A Case Report

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare disorder that results from impaired clearance of surfactant. There are few case reports in lung transplant recipients. We report the case of a 57-year-old man with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis who underwent left single lung transplantation. Approximately 1 year after transplant, he was diagnosed as having pulmonary alveolar proteinosis by surgical lung biopsy. He was successfully treated with bronchoscopic lobar lavage of his allograft but later was diagnosed as having peritoneal mesothelioma. We highlight the challenges in the diagnosis, discuss potential etiologies, and describe a unique therapy of this rare disorder in lung transplant recipients.

Automated summary

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare disorder that occurs in lung transplant recipients, with few reported cases. This article reports a case of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis diagnosed in a lung transplant recipient approximately one year after transplantation, and describes its treatment approach.