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Bronchoalveolar Lavage- Yet another Treatment method in Pulmonology.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BVL) - A washing out method which is implemented in the Lung to identify any abnormal conditions such as Inflammation and Airway blockage which makes it difficult to breathe for the individual.  BVL is one of the simplest and safest treatment methods in Pulmonary Treatments. The steps involved in the BVL procedure are : The Patient is rested in the supine position and Local Anesthesia is provided. The bronchoscope is passed through the nose or the mouth. The tube-end which consist of a small projection like structure introduces the fluid in the area which is needed to be inspected. The bronchoscope is flexible enough to be inserted even in the smallest region of the Lung. The fluid which is dispersed into the Lung region is collected back using the suction pump which is attached to the end of the bronchoscope. The obtained fluid is then processed for any diseases or disorders. Where it is used ? Bronchoalveolar is commonly used in c...
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Video Presentation -Overweight/obesity increases ventilatory capacity and reduces FeNO in asthmatic children

Title: Overweight/obesity increases ventilatory capacity and reduces FeNO in asthmatic children By Dr. Maria Michelle Papamichael Statement of Problem: Universally, bronchial asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disorder in children characterized by airway inflammation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and recurrent episodes of reversible airway obstruction. Excess weight represents a major global health challenge because of adverse health outcomes including asthma. The concurrent rise in asthma and pediatric obesity postulate a possible link between the two conditions. Excess weight may impact asthma via multiple mechanisms including pulmonary mechanics, lifestyle, dietary, immunological, hormonal and common genetic factors. High bodyweight was found to be associated with reduced pulmonary function and Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) in adult subjects. Yet the current literature focusing on the effect of obesity and overweight on lung function and FeNO in asthma...

Asthma action plan for proactive bronchial asthma self-management in adults: a randomized controlled trial

Presentation : Asthma action plan for proactive bronchial asthma self-management in adults: a randomized controlled trial. Abstract: Background : Written personalized asthma action plans are recommended as part of patient education and self-management. Objectives: To enable asthmatic adults to proactively self-manage bronchial asthma and sustain asthma quiescent status through the utilization of the Asthma Action Plan (AAP), and to establish a feasible asthmatic/caretaker—health care provider communication. Design: Randomized controlled trial with cluster sampling by pulmonologists. Setting and participants : The study comprised 320 chronic asthmatic patients attending the chest department at the main health insurance hospital in Alexandria that was randomly allocated as the intervention group (AAIG; n=160) that received standard care and intervention by the AAP and a control group (AACG; n=160) that received the routine standard of care. Data were collected through an intervi...

Respiratory Biofeedback useful for Respiratory diseases???

PULMONARY REHABILITATION : Implementation of Rehabilitation for an individual generally tends to decrease the time required to get back to optimum health capability. Thus in the same manner Pulmonary rehabilitation plays a major role in case of loss of lung function by helping the individual to get back to normal breathing manner. One of the method which can be used effectively without any sideffects for respiratory disorders and diseases in Pulmonary Rehabilitation is Respiratory biofeedback . REPSIRATORY BIOFEEDBACK Respiratory biofeedback is considered as a method but not a treatment procedure for Respiratory disorders. Thus the procedure of Respiratory biofeedback is scheduled for severla sessions based on the individuals respiratory condition (ie.. More sessions may be required in the case where the individual's condition is worse). The procedure generally incurs relating the feedback of the individual and comparing it with the optimum quality of a healthy ...

Invasive Surgical treatment for COPD

As COPD cannot be cured completely, various techniques and methods for improving the condition of the person have been identified and implemented regularly. One of the Treatment methods which is rarely used and which is a minimal risk for the person is the " Lung Volume Reduction Surgery "( LVRS) . Why LVRS is done? When a person is affected by COPD, the normal breathing process gets affected and the person feels really difficult to breathe sometimes. Emphysema which is one of the types of COPD which involves blockage of the airway and also makes it difficult for breathing in ambient conditions. This treatment is commonly preferred for Emphysema to improve lung function. Other conditions where LVRS is used are inflammation of the lung airway and airway blockage due to the presence of dust particles. Procedure: As the name implies the treatment includes reduction of volume of the lung which is done through surgery which can be performed by methods such as: Sternot...

Ever heard about "Bronchial thermoplasty" ???

Airway Obstruction in Asthma : The airway in the human lung is generally a tube through which the inhaled air travels to the lung and to the other parts of the body. In Normal Lung, there is a flow inhaled air without any obstruction and the smooth muscles present in the lung allows the air to pass through without any difficulties. Obstruction in the airways is the most common indication in the condition of Asthma , where the lungs are easily disrupted by the presence of undesirable particles such as mucus that are formed as a result of Asthma . In Asthma affected Lung, there is a layered mucus formation over the smooth muscles in the lung airway which causes the difficulty for the steady flow of air which ultimately leads to the Obstruction in the airway of the lung. One of the treatment methods for asthma is Bronchial Thermoplasty . Bronchial Thermoplasty: Various treatment of Asthma is present and implemented along the years, One of the precarious treatment for Asthma in...

All you want to know about "Pneumothorax"

Condition Name: Pneumothorax Also called as Collapsed Lung.  How it is caused? Pneumothorax is caused when there is sudden leakage of air from the lungs to the chest cavity making the lung to collapse. In most of the cases, only one lung is collapsed.  A pneumothorax can be caused by a blunt or penetrating chest injury , certain medical procedures, or damage from an underlying lung disease which is caused by COPD(Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Cystic Fibrosis and Pneumonia. It is also caused by Ruptured air blisters that develop on the top of the lung, bursting out sometimes allowing the air to leak from the lung to chest cavity. Often the mechanical Ventilation procedures can also lead to the collapsed lung. What are the symptoms? Sudden Chest Pain Shortness of Breath How it can be treated immediately? Hollow needle or tube can be used to remove the excess air. The hollow needle or tube is inserted between the ribs into the air-filled space ...