Pulmonary bronchectasia is a disease characterized by permanent dilation of the bronchi, which can be caused by recurrent bacterial infections or blockage of the bronchi, this disease is incurable and is usually associated with other conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, pulmonary emphysema and immobile eyelash syndrome., also known as Kartagener syndrome.Learn more about this syndrome.
Treatment of bronchetasis is done with the use of medicines to reduce symptoms and prevent disease progression and respiratory physiotherapy to facilitate breathing.
- Treatment of bronchetasis is done with the aim of improving symptoms and preventing disease progression.
- As this condition has no cure.
- So your doctor may recommend the use of antibiotics to treat infections.
- Mucolytics.
- To facilitate the release of mucus or bronchodilators to facilitate breathing.
In addition, respiratory physiotherapy is very important to improve the person, since with physiotherapy it is possible to eliminate mucus from the lungs and increase the exchanges of gases, facilitating breathing.Understand how respiratory physical therapy works.
In more severe cases, surgery may be required to remove part of the lung.
Pulmonary bronchectasia can be characterized by the following symptoms:
To diagnose bronchotasis, your doctor evaluates symptoms and orders laboratory tests, such as sputum tests, to identify a possible infection, and imaging tests, such as CT and x-rays, that look at the characteristics of the bronchi, which are usually increasing in this condition.
In addition, your doctor may order spirometry, which evaluates lung function by measuring the amount of air in and out of your lung, and a bronchoscopy, which is an imaging exam that allows you to visualize your airways, including your larynx and tingal.Understand what it’s for and how bronchoscopy is performed.
Pulmonary bronchectasia can be caused by several situations, including:
If the cause is not identified and treatment is initiated, bronchetasis can lead to several complications, such as respiratory failure and pulmonary collapse (or atelectasis), for example, which is a respiratory complication characterized by collapse of the pulmonary alveoli that prevents sufficient air passage.. Learn more about pulmonary atelecsis.