Are there any side effects of lung lavage? How difficult is lung lavage?

When it comes to lung washing, many people have probably never heard of it. It seems to be a very new term. We have heard of teeth washing, but we have rarely heard of lung washing. Many people say that the air quality in our country is poor now, especially the smog is very serious, and the problem of smoking in public places has not been well controlled. Many people have problems with their lung health, so they need lung lavage. So, is lung lavage good or not, and are there any side effects?

1. Overview of Lung Washing

The correct name for lung lavage is "large-volume whole lung lavage." The entire process is performed under general anesthesia. Figuratively speaking, it is an operation to "bath" the lungs, but not everyone can do it. Patients with complications such as giant bullae, severe emphysema, cor pulmonale, active pulmonary tuberculosis, recent history of hemoptysis or pneumothorax; or patients with cardiovascular disease, blood disease, or organic diseases such as liver, kidney, and brain; or patients with trachea and main bronchus deformities that hinder the correct positioning of double-lumen endobronchial tubes, should be cautious when undergoing intubation.

2. Are there any side effects of lung lavage?

There is a substance in the human lungs called alveolar surfactant, which will be partially lost during the lung lavage process, but it can be re-secreted and restored by the human body. In addition, during the lung lavage process, transient pulmonary edema is inevitable, and symptomatic medication will be used during the operation. Other side effects are not yet clear. Compared with the above situations, lung lavage has more benefits than disadvantages in controlling the harm of pneumoconiosis and is currently a better method for treating pneumoconiosis. Just like in surgery, bleeding may be necessary to cure a disease. This is an inevitable part of the treatment process and is controllable and treatable.

3. Difficulty of Lung Washing

In addition, even patients who are suitable for large-volume whole lung lavage must go to the hospital for examination before the operation, and a professional doctor will decide whether the patient can tolerate the operation. Lung lavage, as a new and highly professional medical technology, is a means of treating diseases and is by no means a health care procedure. This kind of medical equipment and intraoperative emergency measures require a fairly high level of irrigation skills, which is not something that can be performed in street clinics. To give a simple example, if the water temperature of the lavage fluid is "not up to standard" during the lung lavage process or the postoperative care measures are not in place, these seemingly minor details are likely to cause the patient to "not wake up".