The therapeutic procedure Whole Lung Lavage has been performed first time ever in Jammu and Kashmir UT for management of a rare lung disease.

The procedure was performed by a combined effort from Departments of Pulmonary Medicine and Anaesthesia of Government Medical College, Srinagar.

A patient was a 50-year male who presented with one month history of shortness of breath on exertion and was found to have low oxygen saturation (60% on room air). On evaluation at CD Hospital with the help from Cincinnati Children’ centre (USA) diagnosis of primary Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis was made.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare lung disorder with an estimated prevalence of 0.2 -0.6 cases per 100000 individuals. The disease is characterised by accumulation of milk like proteinaceous material in the Lung sacs affecting gas exchange and resulting in hypoxemia (low oxygen saturation). WLL is considered the standard of care for management of this rare disorder.

The procedure was successfully performed over three hours using 15 litres of sterile normal saline (to wash out the lung) in the theatre of Chest diseases hospital. The team of Interventional Pulmonologists lead by of H.O.D Pulmonary Medicine Prof Dr Naveed Nazir Shah consisted of Prof Khursheed Ahmad Dar, Dr Muhammad Yousuf Dar, Dr Firdous Manzoor, Dr Tajamul Hussain, Dr Zubair, Dr Hina, Dr Aliya, Dr Shahnawaz, Dr Naeem, Dr Mehwish, Dr Tahir, Dr Shahid, Dr Zaid, Dr Asir along with theatre team of cd hospital Mr Gulzar and Mr Hilal. The anaesthesia team consisted of Dr Mushtaq and Dr Messam under the guidance of H.O.D anaesthesia Prof Rukhsana Najeeb with assistance from Mr Hilal, Mr Younis and Mr Farooq. The relatives of the patient expressed their happiness and extended gratitude to the whole team.

By performing this procedure CD hospital has become only one of the few centres in the whole country where this procedure has been performed.