Occasional Ramblings

Bronchiectasis. What does that word mean to you? Probably little or nothing unless you, a family member or friend has this medical condition - even many ambulance personnel are completely unaware of it. And yet it is on the increase, with more and more people being diagnosed with it.

But what is it? In simple terms it can be explained thus; Air is carried into your lungs through a series of branching tubes (bronchi) and within these are lots of tiny hairs (called cilia). The walls of the tubes are coated with a sticky substance ( mucus ) which traps dust and germs which we breath in, this 'rubbish' is then swept away by the hairs - which do this constantly, thereby keeping the lungs clean and healthy.

However if these tubes are damaged then all of the mucus is not cleared away and as it builds up it provides a perfect situation for bacteria to settle and multiply, leading to chest infections which can damage the lungs. Although many infections can be controlled by antibiotics from the GP as the cause is still there further infections follow and the patient then gets into a vicious circle of feeling well ( or reasonably so ) for a time before feeling unwell again.

The condition can be very debilitating with the patient not only having to endure frequent infections and the breathlessness which can accompany them but also the prospect of at times coughing up quite a lot of blood, which usually means hospitalisation for a few days so that antibiotics can be given intravenously, as well as oxygen and also possibly a nebulizer to loosen the mucus  . In 'serious' cases the patient may have to be on oxygen at home as well as when they are in hospital.

Sadly - and in a way unexplainably - although Bronchiectasis has been known about since the 1800s there is very little research into either a cure or medication to control the condition. The only company i know of is Pharmaxis So if there are any millionaires out there with a large chunk of money doing nothing they could do a lot of good putting it to Bronchiectasis research and/or care.