| Lipid pneumonia | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| ICD-9 | 516.8 |
| MeSH | D011017 |
Lipid pneumonia or lipoid pneumonia is a specific form of lung inflammation (pneumonia) that develops when lipids enter the bronchial tree. The disorder is sometimes called Cholesterol pneumonia in cases where the lipid is a factor.[1]
Contents |
Sources of such lipids could be either exogenous or endogenous.[2]
Exogenous: from outside the body. For example, inhaled nose drops with an oil base, or accidental inhalation of cosmetic oil. Amiodarone is an anti-arrythmic known to cause this condition.
Endogenous: from the body itself, for example, when an airway is obstructed, it is often the case that distal to the obstruction, lipid-laden macrophages (foamy macrophages) and giant cells fill the lumen of the disconnected airspace.
The gross appearance of a lipid pneumonia is that in which there is an ill-defined, pale yellow area on the lung. This yellow appearance explains the colloquial term "golden" pneumonia.
At the microscopic scale foamy macrophages and giant cells are seen in the airways, and the inflammatory response is visible in the parenchyma.
Treatment is with corticosteroids and possibly intravenous immunoglobulins.
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