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Lung parenchyma wash

Sonic wash of lung lining to remove damaging particulates.
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This one is really out of the box.

How about filling a lung will an oxygen carrying fluid, such as perfluorocarbon, then, with sonics, massage the foreign debris to a drain at the most efficacious place of the lung. Hopefully, the policing cells and held particles will freely come away from the lining with a bit of musical encouragement.

This is sort of amped up version of what the lining mucus, cells and cilia are suppose to do but can't because of the types of particles inhaled. Maybe, the sound pumped in could be Jethro Tull's Locomotion breath.

Anything is probably a option when faced with silicosis or asbestosis.

wjt, Oct 25 2019


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       Hmm. Pulmonary lavage is a thing, but not widely used.
MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 25 2019
  

       With associated jiggle vibration or just flow and retrieve?
wjt, Oct 26 2019
  

       Well, it seems for PAP, Pulmonary Aveolar Proteinosis, primarily an autoimmune problem, it is.   

       I was thinking tuned sound waves could dislodge other more macro problems.
wjt, Oct 26 2019
  

       With silicosis and asbestosis (and indeed byssinosis) the problem is that the contaminants are not superficial, but embedded in the alveolar wall. Rinsing, even with the addition of ultrasound, isn't going to dislodge them.
8th of 7, Oct 26 2019
  

       //Locomotion Breath//... Aqualung surely?
Frankx, Oct 26 2019
  

       If caught early enough, it might lower the density in the lung. The cells surrounding the particles would either want to try a absorb the particle or to try to encapsulate it for removal. The later could be helped with a bit of orchestration.   

       Aren't there modes of ultrasound that break up scar tissue? I suppose it would depend on how much damage needs to be done to remove the particles and how much regrowth capability the lung tissue has. A bit of aveolar gardening or ultrasound surgery under fluid.   

       [Frankx] Too True.
wjt, Oct 26 2019
  

       //drain at the most efficacious place//
Due to the "spread" of the branching system, there probably isn't one; I would suggest a slow rotation of the patient while washing, finishing with being hung upside-down to dry.
neutrinos_shadow, Oct 28 2019
  

       The solution is therefore trouser lungs; then you can be wearing one pair while the others are in the wash.
8th of 7, Oct 28 2019
  

       I've always thought that things like the heart and breathing muscles could do with a rest, every now-&-then. Once a year, get yourself hooked up to an artificial system to "take over" the blood pumping, oxygenation, etc, while your real bits have a rest (& get some maintenance, if required). A lung wash would be part of that.
neutrinos_shadow, Oct 28 2019
  

       Burn some mechanical candle for a bit. A life more extended.
wjt, Oct 31 2019
  


 

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