The lungs, like other human organs, are susceptible to various diseases. Including the development of bullous emphysema is possible.
Features of the disease
Bullous pulmonary disease refers to obstructive diseases of a chronic nature. At the same time, some parts of the tissue in the organ may become more airy due to the fact that the alveoli (the vesicles of which the lungs are composed) significantly increase in size and their walls are destroyed. During this process, cavities are formed whose diameter exceeds 1 cm. As a rule, air accumulates in them, as a result of which the circulation in the lungs is disturbed.
Statistics show that men are more likely to be affected by this disease than women, and almost twice as much. Age also matters. Older people are more vulnerable to the disease.
Characteristic for this form of emphysema is that not the whole organ is affected, but only a certain part of it.
Bullous pulmonary disease: causes
The main reasons why this disease occurs can be attributed to:
- smoking;
- genetic predisposition (inferiority of connective tissue, called dysplastic syndrome);
- chronic inflammatory diseases (bronchitis, bronchiectasis, bronchial asthma);
- tuberculosis, regardless of stage;
- poor ecology and various air pollution (pathogenic microorganisms that live in such air can affect the lungs and provoke inflammation of the alveoli);
- complications after sarcoidosis of the lungs.
Bullae, which are formed due to the development of the disease, can be from 1 to 10 cm in diameter. With sizes over 10 cm, they are usually called giant. Their location may also vary. They can be both multiple (common throughout the lung volume), and single (localized in a particular area). Bulls are dangerous in that they begin to squeeze the tissues that are located in the neighborhood, and thus worsen the gas exchange in the organ.
Knowing the reasons that can provoke the development of this disease, you can do prevention on time.
The main manifestations of the disease
The main symptom that accompanies the development of pulmonary pulmonary disease is shortness of breath, which does not appear suddenly, but gradually. Moreover, its feature is that breathing difficulties appear during exhalation. The patient at this time makes a sound that resembles a pant. At the initial stage of the disease, shortness of breath appears exclusively with increased physical exertion, however, with the progression of emphysema, it can also be disturbed at rest. Often it is accompanied by asthma attacks, coughing, sputum production.
When a doctor diagnoses “pulmonary pulmonary disease”, the symptoms that indicate this may be as follows:
- increased gaps between the ribs;
- the chest becomes cylindrical;
- the diaphragm is less mobile;
- the appearance of pain is possible, which is greatly enhanced during coughing;
- fatigue, a state of general weakness.
If bullous pulmonary disease progresses (the history of the disease depends on the cause), respiratory failure may develop if the treatment is not appropriate, which manifests itself in the fact that the veins in the neck swell and turn blue. In addition, a patient with a bullous form of emphysema is losing weight. This is due to the fact that almost all energy is spent exclusively on the breathing process. Strenuous physical work or excessive emotions can lead to spontaneous pneumothorax (a condition where air enters the pleural cavity).
With intense pain, the development of acute vascular insufficiency is possible .
The degree of lung collapse affects the severity of shortness of breath and the severity of the general condition of the patient. The tactics of further treatment depend on this, which can be aimed at eliminating the symptoms or actively draining the pleura.
Diagnostic Features
This diagnosis can only be made by an experienced specialist, which is why if you find at least some of the symptoms listed in yourself, you need to consult a pulmonologist. The doctor will conduct an examination, after which he will use the tools to listen to the lungs during their work. After the actions taken, as a rule, the patient is sent for CT or an X-ray of the lungs, as well as for analysis, which will reveal the gas composition of the blood.
Based on these studies, the doctor may prescribe treatment or an additional study (peak flowmetry and spirometry).
Therapy tactics
If the diagnosis is “bullous pulmonary disease”, treatment in most cases is aimed at eliminating inflammation of the alveoli and restoring impaired gas exchange in the lungs. Getting rid of the symptoms of the disease is extremely complex. However, it is worth remembering that even if treatment is started in the early stages, changes in the lung tissue that have occurred as a result of the development of bullous emphysema will be irreversible. All measures taken to eliminate the symptoms will only help stop the further progression of the disease. That is why pulmonary pulmonary emphysema (the medical history and treatment tactics depend on the causes and symptoms) requires immediate intervention.
There are two methods of treating the disease: surgical and drug.
Surgical method
If diagnosed with pulmonary pulmonary disease, surgery will be the most effective method. During its holding, bullae that have formed are removed. This will help to reduce lung volume, as a result of which breathing returns to normal. In this case, the operation should be carried out as early as possible in order to prevent the development of complications.
Holding it does not involve cutting the chest, the intervention is carried out through a small puncture.
In exceptional cases, the attending physician may decide to transplant or remove a lung.
Medication treatment
The drug method is to eliminate the causes that provoked the disease itself. That is why the doctor must clearly understand what led to the development of emphysema. As a rule, after the studies, the patient is prescribed bronchodilators in combination with glucocorticoid hormones. If the course of the disease has led to the development of respiratory or vascular insufficiency, the doctor may decide on the appointment of diuretics (medications that are aimed at removing fluid). Depending on the cause of the disease, antibacterial agents and theophyllines may be prescribed.
However, a prerequisite during treatment is a complete rejection of bad habits, performing breathing exercises and spending a lot of time in the fresh air. Walking is recommended to be short-lived, at a moderate pace, and it is worthwhile to carefully monitor the process of breathing.
The disease tends to not manifest itself for a long period of time, which is why it is necessary to undergo a complete medical examination periodically in order to avoid the development of various pathologies, including bullous lung disease.