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Cystic Fibrosis

Surgery options for bronchiectasis

11/06/2008

Question:

I am a 55 yr old male cystic fibrosis patient with severe bronchiectasis. I`ve been told the most damage is in the middle right lobe. I believe it`s this area that is the source of my large amount of sputum and frequent infections. Are there any surgical options that would help me ?

Answer:

Surgery is occasionally used to remove areas of the lung that are much worse than the rest of the lung, especially if they are leading to very frequent infections or worsening of lung function. Usually this is reserved for people with an isolated area that is "contaminating" the rest of the lung or causing the need for frequent antibiotics. The option of surgery is dependent on how functional the remaining lungs are and how confident the patient and physicians are that the area is contributing to declining lung function.

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Response by:

The Ohio State University John S Heintz, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Director, Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center
Pulmonary Medicine
Department of Pediatrics (Nationwide Children's Hospital)
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University
John S Heintz, MD