King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH) in Riyadh has successfully completed a nine-hour whole-lung lavage procedure on a 10-year-old girl with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), a rare condition that affects oxygen exchange in the lungs.
The child had experienced persistent breathlessness, severe fatigue, difficulty walking and weight loss as the disease progressed. Her blood oxygen saturation had fallen to 79%, well below the normal range of 95% to 100%, leaving her dependent on continuous supplemental oxygen.
During the procedure, specialists used a technique that allowed each lung to be treated separately while maintaining ventilation through the other. Warm saline was repeatedly introduced and drained to remove accumulated proteins and fats from the air sacs of the lungs.
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Following the intervention, the patient received care in the paediatric intensive care unit, where her breathing gradually improved. Her oxygen requirement decreased from 4.5 litres to one litre per minute, and she was discharged five days later in stable condition without complications.
The case highlights the hospital’s capacity to manage rare paediatric respiratory conditions requiring complex procedures and specialised critical care.
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