[Broncho-pulmonary amylosis (about two cases) (author's transl)]

The authors reported two recent cases of broncho-pulmonary amylosis with monoclonal gammapathy. The first observation concerned a diffuse amylosis characterized by a bilateral pulmonary infiltration with pleural effusions and secretion of IgGlambda with a Bence Jones proteinuria. Pleural and pulmonary biopsies will provide the proof of amylosis. Evolution will rapidly be fatal in case of renal insufficiency. Post-mortem sampling will confirm the amyloid involvement (muscle, liver, kidney). The second observation described a localized amylosis developed in contact with a mediastino-pulmonary lymphoplasmocytic lymphoma with tumoral secretion of IgMlambda. Although pneumonectomy brought out the disappearance of the abnormal paraportein, death occurred within a few months, linked either to the spreading of the lymphomatous process or to the onset of a bacillary surinfection. The authors then recalled the main clinical and diagnostic data of the broncho-pulmonary amylosis. They underlined the importance of GLENNER'S work who, by proving the immunoglobulinic nature of amyloid, explained that in both cases, amylosis appeared as the consequences of an abnormal immunoglobulins synthesis.