Treatment of Bronchiectasis
The goals of bronchiectasis treatment are to attack the cause of the infection or chronic disease affecting the lungs, remove mucus from the lungs and prevent complications.
Thoracic physiotherapy is a type of lung treatment that helps remove mucus from the lungs. It combines two techniques:
- Postural drainage: This involves placing the patient in specific positions so that gravity helps move the mucus toward the main airways.
- Respiratory clapping (percussion): consists of giving gentle and repeated blows to the chest and back using the hands or a special device.
A combination of these techniques helps to clear the lungs, improve breathing and reduce the risk of infection.
Bronchodilators with inhalers, when there is bronchial obstruction, to relax the muscles of the walls of the airways.
Antibiotics for respiratory infections.
If the patient has a chronic bronchial infection, long-term antibiotic treatment is considered, which can be inhaled or administered orally.
Surgical treatment is rare and is indicated only when bronchiectasis is highly localised in one part of the lung.
There are many studies underway to evaluate the efficacy and safety of new treatments, using both antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.
Substantiated information by:
Published: 6 February 2025
Updated: 6 February 2025
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