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- A bulla is defined as an air space in the lung measuring more than one centimeter in diameter in the distended state. The term giant bulla is used for bullae that occupy at least 30 percent of a hemithorax [ 1-4 ]. A single giant bulla may be present, or a giant bulla may be accompanied by a number of smaller adjacent bullae.
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Aug 22, 2023 · The term giant bulla is used for bullae that occupy at least 30 percent of a hemithorax . A single giant bulla may be present, or a giant bulla may be accompanied by a number of smaller adjacent bullae. The evaluation and management of giant bullae in patients with emphysema will be reviewed here.
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- Pathophysiology
- Symptoms
- Causes
- Epidemiology
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Results
- Prognosis
Emphysema causes a loss of elasticity in the walls of the small air sacs in the lung. Eventually, the walls of the sacs stretch and break, which creates larger, less efficient sacs that cant properly handle the normal exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide that occurs during breathing. Difficulty in fully exhaling usually leads to the capture of air...
Because of its size, a giant bulla makes its presence known and produces symptoms. On its way to becoming a giant bulla, however, the air pocket in the lung doesnt show symptoms beyond what the patient is experiencing from the underlying emphysema. Symptoms from a giant bulla can include:
Smoking cigarettes is by far the most common cause of emphysema. And emphysema is by far the most common cause of giant bullae in the lungs. There are limited cases of bullae appearing in the lungs as a result of bronchial illnesses from high air pollution levels, or occupational exposure to chemical fumes.
Despite the fact that vanishing lung syndrome is a condition most often found in older people, giant bullae have also been found in young men.
A diagnosis seeks to determine whether the patients lung functions are being impeded by the pressure caused by a giant bulla or the general effects of the underlying emphysema. Like most other lung cancers, doctors rely on non-invasive chest x-rays and the more detailed CT (computed tomography) scans to initially locate and identify giant bullae. F...
In virtually every case, the treatment for a giant bulla is a bullectomysurgical removal of the growth. Patients with a giant bulla are divided into four groups:
Patients in the first two groups are ideal candidates and stand the best chance of success. Success is defined as both a lessening of the pressure and other symptoms, and the recovery or restoration of lung function. There are possible complications, such as an air leak or an infection in the incision.
Group III and IV patients cannot expect similar success rates. In cases where the lung is widely destroyed, they might be advised to undergo a lung transplant.
Aug 8, 2019 · Eligible patients include those with a giant bulla occupying one-fourth or more of one hemithorax on preoperative imaging. We describe in this report a valuable sign to distinguish pneumothorax from adjacent giant bullae: the double-wall sign.
- Beatrice Aramini, Ciro Ruggiero, Alessandro Stefani, Uliano Morandi
- 10.1016/j.ijscr.2019.08.003
- 2019
- Int J Surg Case Rep. 2019; 62: 21-23.
Feb 12, 2023 · Bullous emphysema (BE) is a type of lung disease. Smoking is the main cause of this condition. Symptoms include shortness of breath and cough. Although BE doesn’t go away, treatments like bronchodilators, oxygen therapy and surgery can help you manage the symptoms.
Feb 9, 2023 · Bullous emphysema (BE) refers to damaged alveoli that distend to form large air spaces, especially in the top of the lung. BE is a radiographic diagnosis according to chest X-rays or, more...
- Karen Veazey
A bulla that takes up a third or more of the space in and around the affected lung is called a giant bulla. Because of its close association with emphysema, giant bullae are most often found in older patients who smoke or used to smoke.
Mar 6, 2024 · A giant bulla is arbitrarily defined as one that occupies at least one third of the volume of a hemithorax 5. When large, bullae can simulate pneumothorax. The most common cause is paraseptal emphysema but bullae may also be seen in association with centrilobular emphysema. Location-specific subtypes. subpleural bullae. Complications
