Pulmonary cirrhosis is a pathological disease that causes irreversible changes in the cells of the lung tissue. Cirrhosis, which occurs in the tissues of the body, can be in the lungs as well as in the liver and kidneys. The disease is accompanied by the fact that in the structures of these tissues complete or partial changes occur. In some cases, condensation appears or various kinds of deformations occur. Lung cirrhosis in the ICD-10 is listed under the general code J60-J70.
What it is?
The disease itself is an overgrowth in the lungs of the connective tissue. Cirrhosis refers to an extremely severe, deep stage of pulmonary tuberculosis. With this disease, gas exchange is disturbed, pulmonary edema with cirrhosis also occurs, the pleura becomes denser and the state of health worsens. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor your condition in order to prevent the development of the disease.
Forecast
Lung cirrhosis leads to the fact that metabolic processes are disrupted, there is a violation of the bronchi. They can deform, contract, or change their physiological characteristics. It is these factors that demonstrate the appearance of this ailment. It can be seen using a special x-ray study.
For cirrhosis of the liver and pulmonary edema, which provokes the disease, a prolonged course of the disease is characteristic. The appearance of pathology can be both on 1 part of the lung and on 2 sides. In both the first and second cases, sclerotic formation of lung tissue occurs. Also, not only the bronchi, but also the organs themselves undergo deformations.
How is the disease classified?
There are several types of such a disease. Specialists have a certain classification of cirrhosis of the lungs:
- Local damage to the lung tissue. Most often, this leads to deformations of the upper segment of the organ. These patients are dangerous for others, as they can excrete small amounts of mycobacteria and thus spread the disease among other people, causing a relapse or infection with cirrhosis of the lungs.
- Frequent relapse of cirrhosis. Patients who suffer from this type of ailment often experience low-grade fever. Intoxication and dehydration occur in the body. In this case, the fibrous tissue begins to grow actively and can fill absolutely all of the lung. And in this case, you can often find a bilateral lesion. This is due to the fact that bronchogenic seeding occurs.
- Bronchiectasis is one of the types of lung cirrhosis. This disease is more severe. It is accompanied by the release of bacterial sputum. This disease is extensive, difficult to diagnose and treat, and also with this ailment secondary infection is possible. If the patient suffers from this type of disease, then surgical treatment is necessary. Patients who have this diagnosis should be aware of disappointing prognoses.
- Infections that cause complete destruction of organs and tissues. In the period of time when the main stage of progression occurs, pulmonary and heart failure develops, and fibrous tissue appears. The patient is constantly in a febrile state, the body is dehydrated, depleted. In order to improve the patient's condition, use infusion treatment.
Reason for occurrence
Unfortunately, the causes of cirrhosis are diverse. The disease can appear as a result of advanced tuberculosis or in the case of other pathologies of organs and systems of the body.
In recent years, they began to notice that during prolonged treatment with antibiotics, the formation of cirrhosis begins. But often this disease occurs against a background of chronic fibro-cavernous tuberculosis. Pleurisy, which is formed during tuberculosis, can be a source of various pathologies.
Tuberculosis
The main cause of cirrhosis is tuberculosis. It is necessary to find out what is the main provocateur.
Bacteria provoke the development of this disease. Symptoms of cirrhotic tuberculosis occur for a long period. Doctors often noted the fact that the disease developed over the years and decades. But there are rare cases when tuberculosis is rapidly developing and leads to complications. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the various age-related characteristics of the human body. Everyone is well aware that in the process of aging, all organs weaken, and elastic fibers are no exception. Previously, they performed a protective function, but when they lost their abilities, they allowed the formation of emphysema.
There is no specific category of people who are more likely than others to undergo cirrhosis. Patients can be both young and those people who are of an older age.
Unfortunately, this disease also occurs in childhood. In order for the lung disease to begin to develop actively, several complications must affect them. For example, this happens when the cardiovascular system is disrupted.
Also, a limited form of cirrhosis may occur as a result of focal tuberculosis. This is due to the fact that the ventilation of the lungs is disrupted and emptying of the small bronchi occurs.
Surgical intervention as a factor in the appearance of the disease
Often, cases have been noted that cirrhosis developed after surgery, and frequent inhalation of inorganic and organic dust wastes can also negatively affect the lung and cause fibrosis. If the patient has pathologies associated with surgical procedures, or inflammation develops in the walls of blood vessels, all this can provoke the appearance of cirrhosis of the lungs.
Symptoms
The symptoms of this disease are wave-like. It can both declare itself for a long period, and disappear to exacerbation. Most patients who suffer from this disease complain of increased coughing, as well as the appearance of severe sputum, there may be pulmonary bleeding and expectoration with blood clots.
As soon as these symptoms appeared, this suggests that new foci of inflammation have arisen and they are already moving to other parts of the lungs. As the disease progresses, the body systems will also be destroyed, and other organs will be affected.
Signs
Also, patients complain that shortness of breath appears. Asthma attacks intensify, sputum has become unpleasant. The disease leads to disruption of the cardiovascular system. Often, fluid in the lungs accumulates during cirrhosis, the liver acquires uncharacteristic dimensions, and in some cases the disease is also accompanied by amyloidosis.
As already mentioned, cirrhosis is a very slow disease that can develop over the years and become chronic. Patents often suffer from chronic bronchitis, and against this background, cirrhosis of the lungs develops. If this disease develops due to tuberculosis, then the main symptom is diffusion of emphysema.
Diagnosis of lung cirrhosis
In order to identify this disease, it is necessary to conduct a number of very complex studies. Symptoms are observed, changes in the lungs are checked, deformation appears and other respiratory pathologies are monitored. But there are basic methods that doctors use in practice:
- First of all, it is necessary to learn from the patient the symptoms, listen to complaints: the appearance of cough, shortness of breath, weakness, intoxication. All this is very important. The doctor, after listening to the patient, makes an anamnesis. The first symptoms are a direct indicator of pathology.
- After the patient has been examined, the doctor proceeds to listen to the lungs, he determines the degree of damage. In addition to being auditioned, the lung is also tapped. The patient will need to go for spirography. This is necessary in order to determine whether there is a violation of the respiratory function, and also to establish the volume of the respiratory organs.
- The next stage of the examination is a chest x-ray. It is performed using a special apparatus - it takes a picture, and after it it becomes clear from it whether there is a deformation in the lungs. As an additional study, you can use a magnetic resonance imager. It will allow you to more accurately determine the degree of development of pathology, as well as identify the exact changes in the lungs.
- Often, doctors also prescribe a biopsy. Part of the lung tissue is taken using endoscopy and examined under a microscope. Its structure is also being studied at the microscopic level.
In addition to the fact that it is necessary to undergo a whole series of diagnostic procedures, it is also necessary to pass tests. First of all, a blood test is given. It must be deployed. It will also be necessary to collect the excreted sputum.
All these procedures will more accurately determine the intoxication of the body, make the correct diagnosis based on the information received, prescribe treatment and determine which antibiotics are sensitive.
Treatment
In order to cure this disease, it is necessary to use symptomatic therapy. It has the main direction - to reduce oxygen starvation, and also contribute to the normalization of the heart muscle.
In some cases, when the disease is more serious, doctors resort to surgical intervention. In this case, the patient must be placed in a hospital and complete therapy. Also, among other things, it is necessary to constantly monitor the course of treatment in order to correctly choose the tactics of further drug therapy.
Therapy phases
The antibacterial treatment of cirrhosis of the lungs has two phases:
- The first phase is intense: the patient is given several antibiotics at once, combining them with various preventive drugs.
- In the second phase, treatment continues aimed at the destruction of microbial bacteria that are in a sleeping state.
In this case, the patient is prescribed such drugs that stimulate the regeneration process. Also, this course is preventive - it fights against the multiplication of microorganisms inside the lung. Compliance with the doctor’s prescriptions will help to quickly get rid of the aforementioned disease and not to return to it for a sufficiently long time.