RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH) in Riyadh has successfully performed a nine-hour whole-lung lavage on a 10-year-old girl with a rare lung disease that had reduced her blood oxygen saturation to 79%, the hospital said.
The single session lasted approximately nine hours. The procedure was performed to treat a rare lung disease that had caused her blood oxygen saturation to drop to 79%, compared with the normal range of 95% to 100%. The girl was discharged five days later in stable condition without complications, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The girl had experienced persistent shortness of breath, severe fatigue, difficulty walking, and weight loss due to pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), a rare disease in which proteins and fats accumulate in the air sacs of the lungs, preventing oxygen from passing efficiently into the bloodstream. Her condition had progressed to an advanced stage, leaving her dependent on continuous supplemental oxygen.
KFSH Performs Single-Session Whole-Lung Lavage on 10-Year-Old Girl with Rare Lung Disease
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The medical team performed the procedure using a specialised tube that allowed each lung to be managed independently, maintaining ventilation through one lung while the other was washed.
The team began by flushing the first lung in stages with warm saline to remove the accumulated material, repeatedly draining and replacing the fluid until it became nearly clear. The same process was then performed on the second lung.
Following the procedure, the girl was monitored in the pediatric intensive care unit, where her breathing gradually improved. Her supplemental oxygen requirement decreased from 4.5 litres to one litre per minute over the following days, and she was discharged in stable condition.
The successful procedure highlights KFSH’s ability to treat rare and complex pediatric lung conditions and perform delicate interventions requiring independent ventilation of each lung, enabling the hospital to manage advanced cases requiring specialised care.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 12th globally among the world’s top 250 academic medical centres for 2026.
It was also recognised as the most valuable healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East for 2026, according to Brand Finance, and listed by Newsweek among the World’s Best Hospitals, World’s Best Smart Hospitals, and World’s Best Specialised Hospitals for 2026.
