Overview
Bronchomalacia is a congenital disorder characterized by abnormal softening of the bronchial walls, leading to airway collapse, particularly during expiration, often causing respiratory distress in infants 1.Diagnosis
Bronchial collapse observed on imaging (e.g., bronchoscopy, fluoroscopy)
Symptoms include wheezing, tachypnea, and recurrent respiratory infections 1
No specific grading system mentioned in the abstract, but bronchoscopy can assess severity 1Management
First-line: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy 1
Adjunctive: Consider surgical interventions (e.g., stenting, bullectomy) if medical management fails 1Special Populations
Pediatrics: CPAP shown effective in infants with generalized bronchomalacia 1Key Recommendations
Initiate CPAP therapy for infants with generalized bronchomaladia to stabilize symptoms and improve bronchial collapsibility 1 (Evidence: Moderate)
Monitor response to CPAP therapy, potentially discontinuing if symptoms resolve and bronchial stability is achieved 1 (Evidence: Weak)
Consider long-term follow-up with repeated bronchoscopy to assess bronchial structural changes post-CPAP therapy 1 (Evidence: Expert opinion)References
1 Neijens HJ, Kerrebijn KF, Smalhout B. Successful treatment with CPAP of two infants with bronchomalacia. Acta paediatrica Scandinavica 1978. link