Bronchiectasis in Children

1) Atelectasis is frequent in childhood and must be considered as an important cause of bronchiectasis.

2) It is the duty of the pediatrician to resort to all the diagnostic means at our disposal to make an early diagnosis.

3) Bronchiectasis in the adult is a process which frequently originates in the first or second year of infancy.

4) Bronchial changes can take place in whooping cough and measles. These changes may not be permanent, and in this prebronchiectasic stage, medical treatment can be sometimes successful.

5) If medical treatment fails, bronchiectasis becomes definately established and irreversible; only by surgical treatment can a permanent cure be obtained.

6) Surgical treatment must not be postponed. Children tolerate the intervention better than adults.

7) Our experience deals with 10 cases, 4 boys and 6 girls; between 4 and 13 years of age; 7 were operated upon, and 3 refused operation. Of the 7 operated cases, bronchiectasis was present in 4 in the left lower lobe and in 3 in the right lower lobe. They all made complete recovery; one of the nonoperated patients died. One of the cases showed the triad of Kartagener. In all cases the bronchiectasis was localized in the lower lobe, with exception of one that had bronchiectasis in the right upper lobe, and in one, the bronchiectasis of the left lower lobe was associated with bronchiectasis of the lingula.