Different Ways To Treat Bronchiectasis
Surgery Or Transplant
Surgery or transplant options may be considered in cases where the patient has not responded to other treatments. Surgery is generally only recommended in instances where just one part of the airway is affected. Sometimes, patients with bronchiectasis might develop significant bleeding in a portion of their airway, and operations to remove the damaged area and control bleeding may be beneficial. These surgeries are performed with general anesthesia.
Rarely, doctors may recommend patients with severe bronchiectasis consider a lung transplant. This procedure replaces the patient's damaged lungs with healthy ones from a donor. Patients who are candidates for this operation will be placed on a transplant waiting list. After the procedure, they will need to take anti-rejection medications for the rest of their lives.
Course Of Antibiotics
A course of antibiotics is often the first line of treatment for the chronic lung infections caused by bronchiectasis. Normally, patients will be given a course of oral antibiotics. Amoxicillin, tetracycline, azithromycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole are all commonly prescribed, and patients may also be given a fluoroquinolone or a second-generation cephalosporin. Patients should always take the entire course of antibiotics they have been prescribed even if they start feeling better before finishing medicine.
Individuals taking amoxicillin may experience stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, and tetracycline can cause white patches on the inside of the mouth and on the lips. Azithromycin and other macrolides could be prescribed for long-term use over several months, and patients taking these drugs might develop diarrhea, dizziness, and hearing loss; there is also a risk antibiotic-resistant bacteria could form in the lungs. In addition to oral tablets, patients may be given antibiotics through an inhaler or nebulizer, and individuals who have moderate to severe bronchiectasis may need intravenous antibiotics.
