Chest Surgery Associates

Bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis is a condition where damage causes the tubes in your lungs (airways) to widen or develop pouches. It makes it hard to clear mucus out of your lungs and can cause frequent infections. Coughing a lot with pus and mucus is the main symptom of bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis can’t be cured but can be managed with treatment.

Bronchiectasis (“bronk-ee-EK-tuh-sis”) is a lung condition where your airways (tubes going into your lungs) get damaged and widen. Damaged airways can’t clear mucus like they’re supposed to. Bacteria then grows in the mucus, causing more inflammation and damage to your lungs. This makes you cough a lot as your body tries to remove the infected mucus.

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Bronchiectasis can be mild or severe depending on how much damage you have in your lungs. Some people have it and don’t even know it. Others have had it for a long time and repeated infections have severely damaged their lungs. Most people with bronchiectasis live a normal life span by manage their symptoms with a provider’s advice and medication. Treatment options include performing Key-hole (VATS) surgery to remove the bronchiectatic lung which stops further damage to the healthy lungs and stops blood in cough.