The Facts
Bronchiectasis isn't one single disease. Rather, it is a condition that
results from injury to the bronchi and bronchial tubes. These
are the networks of airways in the upper chest that deliver air into the lungs
after it passes down the throat through the windpipe. Bronchiectasis refers
to damage to the bronchi that prevents them from delivering air properly. The
walls of the bronchi become permanently widened (dilated), scarred, or
inflamed. Some bronchi may even collapse. It is characterized by production
of large amounts of sputum (mucus, phlegm, etc.). The condition may spread
or only affect a small area. Usually bronchiectasis causes widening in medium-sized
bronchi, but smaller bronchi can be scarred or destroyed as well.