High-frequency jet ventilation through a fibreoptic bronchoscope channel during lung lavage

Abstract

Simple manual ventilation facilitates removal of intra-alveolar accumulations. High-frequency jet ventilation can be performed through a narrow lumen like that of a fibreoptic bronchoscope. Accordingly, we expected that high frequency jet ventilation through a fibreoptic bronchoscope channel would facilitate lung lavage, and we developed a new bronchoalveolar lavage system, in which high-frequency jet ventilation through the channel of a fibreoptic bronchoscope was combined with conventional bronchoalveolar lavage. We describe a case in which this new lavage system, unlike conventional bronchoalveolar lavage, successfully removed the lipid material in the alveoli associated with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.