EMPHYSEMA

EMPHYSEMA

Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath due to over-inflation of the alveoli (air sacs in the lung). As the air continues to build up in these sacs, they expand, and may break or become damaged and form scar tissue. The patient becomes progressively short of breath.The disease characterized by chronically poor airflow.

Emphysema is usually the direct result of years of smoking cigarettes.Emphysema is a type of COPD.Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term that includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and sometimes asthma

While there is no cure for emphysema, treatments are available to relieve symptoms and prevent further lung damage. If you have emphysema, nothing is as urgent as quitting smoking.

neutrophils are thought to be highly important in the pathogenesis of emphysema at the tissue level.The T lymphocytes in the sputum of emphysematous smokers are mainly CD8 positive cells.

Emphysema remains in three types

• Centriacinar (centrilobular)
• Panacinar (panlobular)
• Paraseptal

Centriacinar emphysema is the most common type of pulmonary emphysema mainly localized to the proximal respiratory bronchioles with focal destruction and predominantly found in the upper lung zones.

Panacinar emphysema destroys the entire alveolus uniformly and is predominant in the lower half of the lungs.In people who smoke, focal panacinar emphysema at the lung bases may accompany centriacinar emphysema.

Paraseptal emphysema, also known as distal acinar emphysema, preferentially involves the distal airway structures, alveolar ducts, and alveolar sacs. The process is localized around the septae of the lungs or pleura. Although airflow is frequently preserved, the apical bullae may lead to spontaneous pneumothorax.