How is bronchiectasis treated?

Bronchiectasis is a permanent damage and, in most circumstances, cannot be cured. But it can be managed and the aim of the treatment is to treat the infection and improve the symptoms along with prevention of exacerbations.

Treatment of the underlying condition causing bronchiectasis like Tuberculosis or other immune system disease must be treated first.

• Treatment options include: Antibiotics, Bronchodilators & Mucolytic
• Treatment might also include: Learning techniques (Physiotherapy) and devices to help clear out the extra mucus In addition, bronchiectasis treatment is broken down further by what stage you are in: there are things that you do daily (maintenance) and things that you do when you are having an exacerbation (worsening).
• Surgical Treatment: Surgical treatment is considered in carefully selected patients in whom other measures have failed or in those who develop complications despite on medical treatment like haemoptysis (blood in sputum). In some patients the disease is localised to only one portion of lung either a segment or one lobe of the lung. These cases can be considered for surgery which involves removal of the diseased portion. In Some case the whole of one lung is destroyed completely and is a potential source of infection to the other lungs and also leads to limitation of exercise capacity. Such cases may benefit from removal of the diseased lung. This procedure is known as pneumonectomy. The decision to perform surgery is very carefully evaluated in a multidisciplinary discussion along with the chest physicians and the treatment is tailor made for each patient.