NIMS offers rare lung washing treatment for PAP patients

HYDERABAD: The Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) has begun offering lung washing treatment for patients suffering from Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis (PAP), a rare condition with no specific drug therapy.

Doctors explained that PAP occurs when alveolar macrophages — cells that normally clear excess proteins and fats from the lung’s air sacs — stop functioning properly. This leads to protein and fat deposits blocking oxygen absorption, causing severe breathlessness.

Symptoms include chest pain, persistent cough, fatigue, bluish discolouration of nails and skin, and in advanced cases, blackening of nails. The disease may be triggered by autoimmune disorders, genetic defects, or prolonged environmental pollution exposure.

If untreated, PAP can become life-threatening, said Dr. N Narendra Kumar, head of pulmonary medicine at NIMS. “Delayed treatment may also lead to tuberculosis or fungal infections,” he added.

Diagnosis involves oxygen saturation tests, autoimmune screening, pulmonary function tests, chest X-ray, CT scan, and bronchoscopy. The treatment, called whole-lung lavage, involves flushing sterilised water into the lungs to clear out the protein and fat deposits. Each procedure takes 4–5 hours and is performed in an operation theatre. In some cases, it has to be repeated after a year.

The treatment, which is highly expensive in private hospitals, is now available at NIMS. Patients covered under Aarogyasri can undergo the procedure free of cost.