Pulmonologist describes 'popcorn crackles' — the characteristic sound of lungs damaged by vaping

A characteristic sound of damaged lungs

Lung damage in e-cigarette users may be accompanied by sounds resembling the crunch of footsteps on fresh snow in freezing weather or the crackle of cellophane. This was reported by pulmonologist Alexander Palman in an interview with RIA Novosti, retold by Gazeta.Ru. According to him, in acute lung injury affecting the bronchioles and alveoli, their walls stick together and separate on inhalation, producing a characteristic crackling sound — crepitus. When the sounds become loud, coarse and distinct, they are compared to the crunch of snow or the rustle of cellophane.

'Popcorn lung'

The specialist noted that in the United States such sounds are associated with popcorn being made and are called 'popcorn crackles' — this comparison has taken hold in foreign medical literature under the colloquial name 'popcorn disease'. In Russian practice, the comparison with the crunch of snow in freezing weather is more commonly used.

Context: bans on vape sales

The doctor's remarks came against the backdrop of ongoing restrictions on vape sales in Russia: 17 regions have already imposed a ban on retail sales. According to State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, the federal law No. 186-FZ of June 26 of this year gave regions the right to introduce such bans; work on this issue is underway in 39 more regions. It was previously reported that in Kuzbass, a teenager ended up in intensive care after two years of vaping. For readers, this means that the symptoms described by the doctor are not just distant statistics: the restrictions affect the availability of vapes, and cases of severe damage among young vapers have already been recorded.