Bullous Emphysema

Excerpt

The definition of a bulla is an air-filled space of > 1 cm in diameter within the lung which has developed because of emphysematous destruction of the lung parenchyma. Emphysema is a limitation in airflow associated with a loss of the distal lung architecture with permanent enlargement of the alveolar space distal to the terminal bronchiole. Eighty percent of patients presenting with bullae have associated pulmonary emphysema, and this entity, therefore, is referred to as bullous emphysema. It is a subset of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an obstructive airway disease, associated with high mortality. It has bullae associated with diffusely abnormal lung parenchyma because of COPD. It causes high costs to healthcare systems associated with frequent visits to healthcare providers and frequent hospitalizations secondary to exacerbations.