How Do the Lungs Work?

The accurate term for lung washing is "large volume whole lung lavage." The whole process is performed under general anesthesia. It is said that the operation is a "bath" for the lungs. Lung washing can treat the following conditions: occupational lung disease: silicosis, coal worker's pneumoconiosis, cement pneumoconiosis, welded lung, castor's pneumoconiosis, etc.

Lung washing

The accurate term for lung washing is "large volume whole lung lavage." The whole process is performed under general anesthesia. It is said that the operation is a "bath" for the lungs. Lung washing can treat the following conditions:

Enter general anesthesia under intravenous anesthesia. The doctor inserts a double-lumen bronchial tube shaped like a "Y" into the patient's mouth

Severe or refractory bronchial-purulent infection: due to measles, whooping cough as a child, or due to childhood

Death of Maimaiti

On November 6, 2010, Maimaiti left Urumqi with regret. Although his fever has receded, the doctor said that there are currently many patients with a cold and fever. For him, the risk of lung lavage infection is too high, and it is recommended to come again in the spring of 2011. "Well, the hospital has arranged lung lavage twice, but the body is too frustrated, and went out to catch a cold and started to burn ..." Maimaiti said helplessly. His chest tightness and shortness of breath worsened year by year.

Also leaving with regret is Zou Desen, who does not meet the requirements of pulmonary lavage due to active tuberculosis.

Miners talking about black water from lung lavage ^[1]

Unlike them, the other nine people have set off on their way home with joy and ease on November 1.

11 of them were the largest batch of workers sent to Urumqi for occupational disease treatment by public funds from Tiereke Coal Industry Co., Ltd., Baicheng County on October 15th. The youngest were 36 years old and the oldest were 59 years old. for treatment. It is rare in the history of the diagnosis and treatment of pneumoconiosis in our district to send workers in batches for pneumoconiosis lavage treatment.

They are much luckier than Zhang Haichao who opened his chest and lungs.

Wash out 48 bottles of ink in the lungs

The Occupational Diseases Hospital of Xinjiang Autonomous Region (Xinjiang Coal Mine General Hospital) has been conducting pneumoconiosis diagnosis and treatment since the late 1980s. In July 2004, it was approved by the Autonomous Region Health Department as the first batch of designated institutions for occupational disease diagnosis in our district.

At 10:00 on October 18, Long Huaiwen, 51, was under anesthesia in the operating room of the hospital, and the nurse put on protective glasses to start the infusion. Wu Xin, director of the Department of Anesthesia, inserted a double lung tracheal tube of silicone from Long Huaiwen's mouth, and skillfully inserted a double lumen into a predetermined location between the two lungs for double lung isolation.

"Double lung isolation is the most important step in lung lavage surgery," said Wu Xin. If the isolation is not in place, water will flow into both lungs at the same time, so one side of the lung must be lavaged while the other side The lungs are assisted by a ventilator.

After half an hour, the right lung started to lavage first. The nurse poured 1000 ml of transparent lavage fluid into the lung lavage device. The liquid entered the right lung from the double-lumen tube, and then drained the gray-black liquid through the drainage tube.

Once, twice, three times ... 12,000 milliliters of fluid was injected into the right lung. Bottles of black water were placed on the windowsill of the operating room.

"The color of the liquid produced by each job is different. The water washed out by the coal miners is black, the cement plant workers are taupe, and the woodworkers are muddy yellow ..." The Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Occupational Diseases of the hospital Gulinaz said.

", , ..." The patient's heart beats vigorously, and the multifunctional ECG monitor next to it continuously reminds the patient of blood pressure changes ... The medical staff pays attention to this "barometer" at any time. When vital signs appear abnormal, they must be immediately Stop lavage.

The respiratory doctor auscultates the patient at any time to see if the breathing sounds are normal and if there is fluid leakage from the breathing side lungs.

Rest for an hour.

At about 12:50, the left lung began to lavage. At 13:30, the lavage was over. Forty-eight bottles of liquid are gradually cleared from ink black.

This is the 400th lung lavage operation performed by the hospital.

Pneumoconiosis cannot be cured at present

"Is this possible? I haven't dug coal since the first stage of pneumoconiosis was detected in 2004!" Long Huaiwen couldn't believe his eyes with the "ink" bottle he had irrigated. He was the thickest "ink" in this group of patients. After 16 years of working in the underground, he stopped digging coal, but still worked as a security check. Underground inspections did not release him from the dust environment.

In addition, 51-year-old Hua Yangxing was also transferred to the duty room to perform scheduling after detecting pneumoconiosis in 2004. The water he washed out was also thick black.

Gulinaz said: "At present, there is no cure for drugs in China. Lung lavage is the most effective method for treating pneumoconiosis. If the lavage can be separated from the dust environment, it is not necessary to lavage again. If you continue to work in contact with dust, you will have to irrigate again in a few years. It is not all you need to do once. "

In the ward on October 26, Zou Desen, 42 years old, looked very lonely while watching Long Huaiwen and Hua Yangxing holding the "ink" lavaged from the lungs. Active tuberculosis cost him this precious opportunity.

"One-half of my lungs are no longer working, and silicosis and active tuberculosis remain in the rest. Doctors recommend treating tuberculosis first." Zou Desen said he started going down in 1993, detected pneumoconiosis in 2004, and was at the Aksu CDC. The inspection has progressed to the second phase.

One morning after the Spring Festival, when he was about to go to work, he suddenly couldn't get up, forced to call his wife and fainted. "My chest seemed to be pressed on a stone, and my legs were unable to move. I was diagnosed with pneumoconiosis caused by pneumoconiosis in Baicheng County Hospital. I lived in the hospital for 8 days and rested for another month. However, one day I got cold and fever. The hospital asked experts from the New Medical University to confirm that the diagnosis was pneumoconiosis with tuberculosis. "Zou Desen said.

Since then, the coal mine arranged for him to do ground work such as hoist and mechanic, but he often felt physically weak, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and couldn't even pick up a water. He had to rest six or seven times on the fifth floor.

"Pneumoconiosis patients have almost all of these symptoms. When they are severe, they can't breathe and feel as if they are choked to death." Wang Xuetong, 56, said, "I haven't thought about it before, but I have no choice but to live."

At present, a large part of the patients admitted to the occupational disease hospitals in the autonomous region are discovered early and untreated, and their symptoms are getting worse.

More than 60 pneumoconiosis patients cost millions

Jiang Xuhong, general manager of Baicheng County Tiereke Coal Industry Co., Ltd. said: "The operating environment of coal mines has been poor for many years, and a number of pneumoconiosis patients have accumulated year after year. Later, the coal mine has been reformed several times and conditions have improved. Seeing the pneumoconiosis brought to employees Harm, the company decided to use three years to perform batch lung lavage treatment of more than 60 pneumoconiosis patients (including suspected cases) left over from history. "

"Last year we have sent more than 20 workers to Urumqi for lung lavage treatment in three batches, and we will send three batches next year. The treatment company for these workers will cost nearly one million, but as an enterprise, it must be based on the state and relevant departments. It is required to fulfill due responsibilities and obligations. "Jiang Xuhong said," At present, the underground coal mine operating environment has been greatly improved. Not only are dust masks issued, but the water spray and dust reduction facilities are also better than before. "

Dou Hong, director of the Department of Occupational Diseases of the hospital, said: "We have contacted many enterprises every year for the promotion of occupational disease prevention in North and South Xinjiang, and the unit took the initiative to send such a large number of pneumoconiosis patients for public treatment, which is the first time we have seen in our hospital.

She still remembers that in July 2005, a patient named Zhao Feng (pseudonym) came from southern Xinjiang for lung lavage. "He has worked in a variety of occupations exposed to dust. When he came to see a doctor, it took him more than a year to go through the formalities, and he buckled up and down seven big red chapters. Finally, he went to a designated district-level hospital for treatment, and that hospital did not do this. He had to come to the hospital for treatment at his own expense.