RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh performed a whole-lung lavage on a 10-year-old girl in a single session lasting about nine hours.
The procedure was performed to treat a rare lung disease that had caused the patient’s blood oxygen saturation to drop to 79 percent, compared with the normal range of 95 to 100 percent.
The girl was discharged five days later in stable condition without complications, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
She had experienced persistent shortness of breath, severe fatigue, difficulty walking and weight loss due to pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, 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.
The medical team performed the procedure using a specialized 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 almost 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 liters to 1 liter per minute over the following days, and she was discharged in stable condition.
The successful procedure highlights KFSHRC’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 specialized care.
The hospital was ranked the best in the Middle East and Africa, and 12th globally, among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers for 2026.