Tuberc Respir Dis.  2006 Feb;60(2):235-238.

Severe Exogenous Lipoid Pneumonia Following Ingestion of Large Dose Squalene: Successful Treatment with Steroid

Affiliations
  • 1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. mdlimsy@skku.edu
  • 2Department of Radiology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Department of Pathology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP) is an uncommon condition resulting from aspiration or inhalation of vegetable, animal or mineral oil. It results in foreign body type inflammatory reaction of the lung and can show various clinical presentations from asymptomatic incidental finding to severe pneumonia leading to acute respiratory failure. Although many cases have been reported, severe ELP requiring steroid or whole lung lavage for treatment is rare. We report a case of 51-year old man with esophageal cancer who developed severe ELP following ingestion of large dose shark oil (Squalene) and successfully treated with prednisolone.

Keyword

Lipoid pneumonia; Squalene; Steroid

MeSH Terms

Animals
Bronchoalveolar Lavage
Eating*
Esophageal Neoplasms
Foreign Bodies
Humans
Incidental Findings
Inhalation
Lung
Middle Aged
Mineral Oil
Pneumonia*
Prednisolone
Respiratory Insufficiency
Sharks
Squalene*
Vegetables
Mineral Oil
Prednisolone
Squalene

Figure

  • Figure 1 (A) On admission, chest radiograph shows diffuse bilateral ground-glass shadowing, especially over the middle and lower lung fields. (B) Chest radiograph shows almost complete resolution of both lung lesion after steroid therapy

  • Figure 2 High resolution computed tomographic scan of the chest demonstrates extensive bilateral ground-glass opacity in both lower lobe, right middle lobe and left lingular segment.

  • Figure 3 Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained by bronchoscopy shows yellowish lipid layer on the surface.

  • Figure 4 Light microscopic finding from BAL shows numerous red staining positive fat materials (Oil Red O stain, ×400).


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