Bronchiectasis Flashcards
What is bronchiectasis?
Abnormal, permanent dilatation of the airways
What does dilatation lead to?
Pooling of secretions, scarring and inflammation of surrounding tissues
What is the classic triad?
Dilatation, ciliary dysfunction, inflammation
What is bronchiectasis associated with?
Chest sepsis, septicaemia, metastatic abscess formation, right sided cardiac failure, amyloid deposition
What is localised bronchiectasis?
Obstruction and focal severe infection
What is diffuse bronchiectasis?
Cystic fibrosis, ciliary dyskinesias
What can cause localised bronchiectasis?
Measles, S.aureus, Klebsiella, S.pneumoniae, pseudomonas aeruginosa
How does bronchiectasis present?
Persistent cough, clubbing, sputum, dyspnoea, no smoking + young, haemoptysis
What resp test would you do?
Spirometry
What microbiology tests would you do?
Sputum culture, immunology, serology
What imaging would you do?
CXR, functional ciliary studies and bronchoscopy
