$Unique_ID{BRK01169}
$Pretitle{Respiratory System}
$Title{What is Bullous Emphysema?}
$Subject{emphysema bullae lung}
$Volume{H-5}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What is Bullous Emphysema?


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QUESTION:  I have been diagnosed as having Bullous Emphysema (severe) and have
been unable to obtain information regarding the disease.  The American Lung
Association advised me that they have no literature available and at this
point I don't know where to look.  Could you please tell me about this disease
and how it differs from emphysema?

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ANSWER:  All types of emphysema, yours included belong to a larger
classification of lung disease, called chronic obstructive lung disease or
COPD for short.  Under this heading you would find information about chronic
bronchitis, chronic obstructive bronchitis, persistent asthma, chronic
asthmatic bronchitis as well as emphysema, and chronic emphysema.  They are
all interrelated, and many of the mechanisms that create problems in one type
of illness are found in the others as well.  Their development seems
determined by an individuals susceptibility, and the exposure to certain
elements that can precipitate the illness.  Emphysema is a condition in which
the tiny air sacs (alveolar) which are located at the ends of the tubes that
carry air to the lung tissues (bronchioles) are larger than normal, due to the
partial destruction of their walls.  This may be the result of frequent or
chronic inflammation, and certainly can be the result of smoking.  Large
alveolar sacs with damaged walls are not as efficient in transferring the
oxygen in the inhaled air over to the blood vessels, and that leads to a
reduced supply of oxygen for the entire body.  In advanced cases, and severe
cases such as yours, bullae may develop.  A bullous is nothing more than a
very large sac, a "balloon" if you will that develops when many enlarged
alveolar sacs unite into one single unit, large enough to be detected on a
chest x-ray.  Such bullae (the plural form of the word) may be either a
solitary finding, or part of the general disease process found throughout the
lung, and may be found in other types of COPD.  There is no special treatment
for this type of emphysema, but the presence of bullae should make you take
all your doctor's advice very seriously.  Incidentally, my sources at the
American Lung Association tell me they do have a Fact Sheet on Emphysema,
which contains additional information that may be helpful to you.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
