Summary
Liquid paraffin pneumonia was diagnosed after open lung biopsy in a woman age 73 with a hiatus hernia and rheumatoid arthritis who had been taking liquid paraffin nightly for fifty two years. Histological examination showed a lipid type pneumonia with involvement of alveoli, interstitial tissues and brochioles.
Chemical analysis of the lung showed total lipids of 17.7% (w/w), 86% was liquid paraffin which was positively identified by infrared spectroscopy. Transmission electronmicroscopy showed macrophages in the alveoli filled by phagosomes. The alveoli were mainly lined by alveolar type II cells. Scanning electronmicroscopy showed alveoli filled by a mass of vacuoled material.
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I wish to thank Dr. G.C. Cheeseman, National Institute for Research in Dairying, Reading and Dr. D.A. Reaveley and Mr. R. Vaughan, Department of Chemical Pathology for the chemical analysis, Mrs. G. Miller, Mr. R. Barnett and Mr. T.B. Bull for technical assistance.
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Fox, B. Liquid paraffin pneumonia — with chemical analysis and electronmicroscopy. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 382, 339–346 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430409
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00430409