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BRONCHIECTASIS (Gr. fpoyxra, bronchia...
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See also:BRONCHIECTASIS (Gr. fpoyxra, bronchial tubes, and @Krauts, See also:extension) , See also:dilatation of the bronchi, a See also:condition occurring in connexion with many diseases of the lungs. See also:Bronchitis both acute and chronic, chronic See also:pneumonia and See also:phthisis, acute pneumonia and broncho-pneumonia, may all leave after them a bronchiectasis whose position is determined by the See also:primary See also:lesion. Other causes, acting mechanically, are tracheal and bronchial obstruction, as from the pressure of an aneurism, new growth, &c. It used to be considered a disease of See also:middle See also:age, but of See also:late years Dr See also:Walter Carr has shown that the condition is a fairly See also:common one among debilitated See also:children after See also:measles, whooping cough, &c. The dilatation is commonly cylindrical, more rarely saccular, and it is the See also:medium and smaller sized tubes that are generally affected, except where the cause is See also:mechanical. The See also:affection is usually of one See also:lung only. See also:Emphysema is a very common See also:accompaniment. Though at first the symptoms somewhat resemble those of bronchitis, later they are quite distinctive. Cough is very markedly paroxysmal in See also:character, and though severe is intermittent, the patient being entirely See also:free for many See also:hours at the See also:time. The effect of posture is very marked. If the patient See also:lie on the affected See also:side, he may be free from cough the whole See also:night, but if he turn to the See also:sound side, or if he rises and bends forward, he brings up large quantities of bronchial secretion. The expectoration is characterized by its abundance and manner of See also:expulsion. Where the dilatation is of the saccular variety, it may come up in such quantities and with so much suddenness as to gush from the mouth. It is very commonly foetid, as it is retained and decomposed in situ. Dyspnoea and haemoptysis occasionally occur, but are by no means the See also:rule. If pyrexia is See also:present, it is a serious symptom, as it is a sign of septic absorption in the bronchi, and may be the forerunner of See also:gangrene. If gangrene does set in, it will be accompanied by severe attacks of shivering and sweating. Where the disease has lasted See also:long, clubbing of fingers and toes is very common. The diagnosis from putrid bronchitis is usually fairly easily made, but at times it may be a See also:matter of extreme difficulty to distinguish between this condition and a tuberculous cavity in the lung. Nothing can be done directly to cure this disease, but the patient's condition can be greatly alleviated. See also:Creosote vapour See also:baths are eminently satisfactory. A mechanical treatment much recommended by some of the See also:German physicians is that of forced expiration. Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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