Bronchiectasis

The Bronchiectasis Program at Baylor Medicine offers advanced diagnostics and management of bronchiectasis and its complications. It is estimated that up to 500,000 adults in the United States have bronchiectasis due to a variety of causes. Because so many diseases can lead to it, bronchiectasis is thought to be an underdiagnosed condition.

Our team of lung specialists will review your case, meet with you and your family, and develop a personalized treatment plan, which may include:

• Evidence-based lifestyle changes to help with your symptoms.
• Inhaled and mechanical airway clearance treatments to keep you healthy.
• Inhaled antibiotics to prevent disease flares.
• Oral or intravenous antibiotics when you get sick from infections, including pseudomonas, mycobacteria, MRSA, etc.
• Oxygen prescription.
• Genetic testing and counseling for diseases like primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD)
• Combined visits with infectious disease specialists for complicated cases.
• Referral to a surgical specialist.
• Referral to pulmonary rehabilitation to improve symptoms and mobility.

Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung condition in which airways – the passages that carry air in and out of the lungs – get bigger, damaged, and often get infected. The abnormal airways have trouble clearing mucus that naturally forms there, leading to symptoms like cough, shortness of breath, and infection. Bronchiectasis starts when your airways are damaged. The damage may be caused by another health problem – usually cystic fibrosis – or a lung infection such as pneumonia or tuberculosis.

There are many underlying causes of bronchiectasis, including but not limited to:

• Genetic diseases
• Autoimmune disease
• Infections
• Airway obstructions
• Chronic aspiration
• Immune deficiencies
• Atypical Mycobacterial Infections (such as Mycobacterium Avium Complex)

Bronchiectasis is diagnosed with a physical exam and medical tests, including dedicated imaging of the lungs. If you have a cough every day that produces mucus, your doctor may do a chest X-ray or a chest CT scan. Other tests include blood tests to look for infection and immune function, a test to find bacteria in your mucus, genetic testing, and a breathing test to see how well your lungs are functioning.

Before your visit, please obtain copies of your medical records as well as hard copy discs of any lung imaging that has been recently performed.