[Morphometric investigations of the bronchial tree in chronic bronchitis. Part I. The alterations of lumen and thickness of the walls of bronchi and bronchioli (author's transl)].
The morphometry of bronchi and bronchioles was studied in 22 persons aged between 47 and 78 who had died after suffering from chronic bronchitis for many years. Additionally the lungs of five persons, died due to other reasons and never having suffered from chronic bronchitis (normal persons) were investigated. In compared to the normal conditions no essential alterations in the diameter of the lumen could be found in the proximal bronchi (including the main bronchus till down to the subsegmental bronchus of the third order). The mean diameter of the lumen of distal membranous bronchi is unchanged, as well, but bronchioles in chronic bronchitis has a bigger lumen amounting to 0.4515 +/- 0.027 mm (in normals 0.324 +/- 0.024 mm, P less than 0.05). The calibres in the terminal and respiratory bronchioles varied as follows: Ectasia in 58%, stenosis in 11%, without any alterations in 31%, that means: organic stenosis in the distal bronchi and bronchioles is of minor importance for the mechanisms of obstruction in chronic bronchitis. The thickness of the proximal and distal bronchi is enlarged in chronic bronchitis. As to the histological features lympho-cytoplasmocytic infiltrations of the mucous membrane could be found in nearly all proximal bronchi studied (in 97.5%), sclerosis of the wall in 32.6%, and metaplasia of the lining squamous epithelium in 15%. Cytology of the bronchial secretions revealed the predominance of neutrophiles among all cellular elements when the inflammatory process was exacerbating.
D000368:Aged; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology*; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000473:pathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
Morphometrische Untersuchungen des Bronchialbaumes bei chronischer Bronchitis. Teil I. Die Veränderungen des Lumens und der Wandstärke von Bronchien und Bronchiolen.