Bronchiectasis is a chronic disease of the airways. Generally acquired, it may be, rarely, congenital. It is caused by recurrent inflammation or infection of the airways. The muscle and elastic tissue of the airways within the lungs become damaged. Permanent dilation of the airways can be a result. This dilation can be a uniform enlargement, or irregular and result in the formation of pouches. The pouches in the airways are susceptible to infection because bacteria thrive in these warm, dark and moist areas.
Bronchiectasis primarily affects children, although any given age may be affected. Symptoms may develop gradually after an infection, and become progressively worse. Symptoms vary widely with the individual, and can include chronic cough with sputum production and sometimes blood, shortness of breath, weight loss, fatigue, clubbing of fingers, rales, and wheezing.
The incidence is 1 in 10,000 people.
When lung transplantation is sought, both lungs are transplanted, because of the otherwise significant risk that the remaining, native lung would infect the newly transplanted lung.
The following list of web sites with available information on bronchiectasis is listed in no particular order. You may be aware of others which also provide an excellent picture of this affliction. If so, we would appreciate you providing the information using the form at the bottom of the list of links.
September 1999
Page Coordinator - Jennifer Russell
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Links - Bronchiectasis
| Ohio State Medical Center Clinic Health For Life | An article by Dr. James Allen written in lay terms. |
| National Jewish Medical and Research Center | Information from this Denver, Colorado center which is written for the patient. |
| American Association For Respiratory Care (AARC) | This site provides a great deal of current information on pulmonary disease. Among their other achievements, they recently earmarked $1 million to fund research that would document the economic and clinical impact of respiratory therapists on positive patient care outcomes. |
| American Lung Association | The American Lung Association is involved in many projects concerning all lung diseases. Their definitions and fact sheets are well done, but sometimes very matter of fact and clinical. e.g., "There is no cure for emphysema". |
| http://www.projectlinks.org/bronchiectasis/ | |
| No Air To Go | A compilation of pulmonary terms, abbreviations, acronyms. This is a personal web page which is very well done and provides a great deal of basic information on various lung diseases. The author is also afflicted with a pulmonary disease. |
| Understanding PFT Results | This is a section of the Alpha One web site. This particular section provides the basics of understanding the Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) |
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