Bronchial pneumonia. Seebroncho­pneumonia.

Bronchiectasis (brong ke ek'ta sis) is a chronic disorder of the bronchi and bronchioles, the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. The tubes become weakened and stretched and do not al­low normal drainage of fluid secretions from the lungs. This inelasticity of the bronchi may result from a recurrent in­fection, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, as­piration of a foreign body (such as a peanut or a button), an obstructive tu­mor, collapse of the lung (atelectasis), or an abnormality present at birth. Q: What are the symptoms of bron­chiectasis? A: Bronchiectasis may show few

symptoms. Sometimes the patient has a cough with thick phlegm, which occasionally contains blood. There may be a slight fever and a general feeling of being unwell. Q: How is bronchiectasis treated? A: A physician may prescribe anti­biotic drugs to prevent complica­tions at the beginning of any respi­ratory infection for a patient with a history of bronchiectasis. It is im­portant also to drain the secretions from the lung, and for this reason the patient is taught correct breath­ing and how to use postural drain­age. If repeated infections still oc­cur, the physician may rarely recommend a lobectomy, an opera­tion to remove the diseased area.

See also bronchiole; bronchus; lo­bectomy; postural drainage. Bronchiole (brong'ke ol) is any of the many narrow branches of the bronchi, the tubes that carry air to and from the lungs.

See also bronchus; lung.

Bronchiolitis (brong кё 5 li'tis) is an acute viral infection of the bronchioles the small bronchial tubes in the lower respiratory tract. Affecting primarily infants under 18 months of age, it starts typically as the common cold and pro­ceeds through wheezing and coughing to a high fever and very shallow respi­ration.

Antibiotics and other drugs are not routinely used. Rather, humidity and oxygen are administered via a Crou- pette® or vaporizer; fluids are provided intravenously; and the airways are reg­ularly suctioned to remove secretions. Without complications bronchiolitis clears up in seven to ten days.

Bronchitis (brong к!'tis) is an inflammation of the bronchi, the air passages to the lungs. It may be either acute or chronic. Bronchitis often follows a common cold or any infection of the nose and throat.

Q: What are the symptoms of acute

bronchitis? A: There is a slight fever, 100-l02°p (37.8 to 38.9°C), with an irritating dry, painful cough that starts to produce thick, yellow sputum after two or three days. At this stage the fever often recedes, and the pain from coughing diminishes. Even after the condition improves, a slight cough commonly remains for another week or two. Q: What is the treatment for acute

bronchitis? A: The patient needs bed rest in a warm, humid room, with frequent steam inhalations from a vaporizer to soften the infected mucus in the bronchi. Hot drinks should be given; they help the patient cough up and spit out phlegm, and they prevent dehydration. Any sedative cough medicine may be taken at night to help the patient sleep. A cough syrup, with an expectorant, may help during the day. *

If the condition appears to, worsen and the fever increases, a physician should be consulted. An antibiotic may be needed to com­bat the infection. Q: How soon after an attack of acute bronchitis may a person return to work?

A: All crowded places should be avoided for at least 10 days to al­low the mucosal lining of the bron chi to heal before taking the in­creased risk of encountering new infection.

What causes chronic bronchitis? Chronic bronchitis is caused by re­peated attacks of acute bronchitis. It is aggravated by smoking and by harmful environmental conditions, such as mr polluted by chemicals, smoke, and dust.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14