Exogenous lipoid pneumonia following ingestion of liquid paraffin

Intern Med. 2002 Jun;41(6):483-6. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.41.483.

Abstract

An asymptomatic patient with exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) due to silent aspiration of liquid paraffin ingested as a lubricant was diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). BAL fluid separated into oily upper phase and lower aqueous phase spontaneously. Microscopic analysis of BAL cells revealed the presence of lipid-laden alveolar macrophages. Classic histochemical staining and electron microscope examination indicated that neutral lipid was dominant but phospholipid was also present in the lipid-laden macrophages. Together with the history of ingestion of liquid paraffin, we identified that the ingested liquid paraffin was the origin of the neutral lipid in the lipid-laden macrophages observed in the BAL fluid.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
  • Humans
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung / pathology
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / ultrastructure*
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Paraffin / adverse effects*
  • Pneumonia, Lipid / diagnostic imaging
  • Pneumonia, Lipid / etiology*
  • Pneumonia, Lipid / pathology
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • Sclerosing Solutions / adverse effects*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Sclerosing Solutions
  • Paraffin