Recovery from aspiration pneumonitis.

The pulmonary status of six patients was examined between five and seventeen months after they had been treated for aspiration pneumonitis. Patients with pre-existing lung and heart diseases were not included in this study. The evaluation based on clinical and radiological examinations, and on the results of pulmonary function tests, revealed a complete recovery in four patients. In two patients subnormal static lung volumes were the only abnormal findings, pointing to a slight though radiologically invisible pulmonary fibrosis as residual lung damage. However, during exercise arterial blood gases were normal in all patients. These results suggest that in patients without pre-existing lung disease aspiration pneumonitis is associated with a favorable prognosis once the patient has survived the acute phase of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]