Biomaterial Database

Liquid paraffin pneumonia--with chemical analysis and electronmicroscopy. 1979

B Fox

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.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D010232	Paraffin	A mixture of solid hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum. It has a wide range of uses including as a stiffening agent in ointments, as a lubricant, and as a topical anti-inflammatory. It is also commonly used as an embedding material in histology.	Parafilm
D011015	Pneumonia, Aspiration	A type of lung inflammation resulting from the aspiration of food, liquid, or gastric contents into the upper RESPIRATORY TRACT.	Acid Aspiration Syndrome,Aspiration Pneumonia,Gastric Acid Aspiration Syndrome,Mendelson Syndrome,Mendelson's Syndrome,Acid Aspiration Syndromes,Aspiration Pneumonias,Mendelsons Syndrome,Pneumonias, Aspiration,Syndrome, Acid Aspiration,Syndrome, Mendelson,Syndrome, Mendelson's,Syndromes, Acid Aspiration
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly