Evaluating Different Treatment Options for Patients with Bronchiectasis
A discussion exploring how bronchiectasis involves a vicious cycle of airway damage, where neutrophilic inflammation leads to bronchial wall destruction and dilation, while explaining that diagnosis relies primarily on high-resolution CT imaging showing bronchial wall thickening and dilated airways, distinguishing it from COPD's emphysematous changes.
Episodes
April 30th 2025EP. 1: Common Symptoms Seen With Bronchiectasis
Panelists discusses how bronchiectasis differs from other respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD through symptoms, imaging findings, and pathophysiological mechanisms.
April 30th 2025EP. 2: Examining The Pathophysiology Of Bronchiectasis
Panelists discusses how the "vicious vortex model" explains bronchiectasis pathophysiology, where airway dilatation leads to mucus stagnation, chronic infections, and neutrophilic inflammation, worsening the condition.
May 7th 2025EP. 3: Exploring the Impact of Bronchiectasis Exacerbations
Panelists discuss how bacterial infections, environmental triggers, and microbiome imbalances cause bronchiectasis exacerbations, leading to increased cough, phlegm, fatigue, and hemoptysis.
May 7th 2025EP. 4: Analyzing Treatment-Refractory Patients
Panelists discuss how managing bronchiectasis exacerbations involves targeted antibiotics based on sputum cultures, augmenting mucus clearance with devices, and considering surgical intervention when medical management fails.
May 14th 2025EP. 5: Common Causes of Bronchiectasis
Panelists discuss how evaluating potential causes of bronchiectasis is important despite many cases being idiopathic, as identifying treatable traits can lead to specific interventions, such as CFTR modulators for those with CF mutations or IgG supplementation.
May 14th 2025EP. 6: Airway Clearance Techniques and Antibiotics for Patients With Bronchiectasis
Panelists discuss how airway clearance devices and techniques, including chest physical therapy, active cycle breathing, exercise, hypertonic saline, and oscillatory positive expiratory pressure devices, are the mainstay of bronchiectasis management.
