This is an automatically translated article.
The article was consulted with Specialist Doctor of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a chronic lung disease, mostly seen in premature infants requiring ventilatory support and oxygen therapy to intervene in acute respiratory disorders. The development of neonatology and neonatal care has significantly improved the survival rate of preterm infants, but the improvement in the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia is still limited.
1. What is bronchopulmonary dysplasia?
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a chronic lung disease, mostly seen in premature infants requiring ventilatory support and oxygen therapy to intervene in acute respiratory disorders, but can also occur in infants with less severe breathing problems. In the setting of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the lungs and bronchi are damaged during infancy, leading to dysplasia of the alveoli in the lungs.
Preterm infants, especially those born before 28 weeks of gestation, have very few alveoli in their lungs at the time of birth, and even those that have already formed are incomplete or inactive. function is as usual. For that reason, these children require respiratory support with oxygen or mechanical ventilation. Although medical interventions can help children survive, these same interventions can cause damage to the lungs, causing bronchopulmonary dysplasia to appear.
2. Mechanism of impact of bronchopulmonary dysplasia on children
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia directly affects both lungs as well as the whole body. Inside a child's lungs, a significant number of alveoli are fibrous (scarring) and unable to function properly. These injuries affect not only the existing alveoli, but also the alveoli that continue to develop after the baby is born.
A child with a small number of normally functioning alveoli will require prolonged respiratory support with mechanical ventilation or with oxygen, and unfortunately, these interventions do help the child to survive. but it also causes further damage to the baby's lungs.
Damage occurs not only to the alveoli, but also to the blood vessels around them, making circulation to the lungs more difficult. In the long term, this problem leads to increased pressure in the blood vessels in the lungs and between the heart and the lungs (pulmonary hypertension), which in turn increases the burden on the heart, and in severe cases causes heart failure. .
Because the number of active alveoli in children with the disease is very low, these children are forced to breathe much faster and more forcefully than normal healthy children. Since then, children with the disease will have a slow growth, because they do not have enough energy or time to eat, making eating less full as usual. Most of the energy children use in breathing, the body has very little energy left to grow and develop, leading to growth retardation and inability to develop, leading to a series of problems in other organs of the body. body.
3. How does bronchopulmonary dysplasia affect children?
An estimated 10,000 babies are born each year in the United States with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia varies from child to child. In mild cases of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the child may have only one sign of breathing faster than normal. In cases of moderate illness, the child needs oxygen support for several months. Severe cases, although uncommon, will cause the child to have respiratory failure requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (oxygen ventilation in these cases is not enough).
4. Causes of bronchopulmonary dysplasia
The cause of bronchopulmonary dysplasia is related to supportive measures with oxygen and mechanical ventilation to help children survive. A large amount of oxygen to support the baby's breathing for many days is necessary to avoid death, but this also causes damage to the alveoli.
In addition, the alveoli may be more damaged when they are overstretched due to the airflow into the lungs from the ventilator when the child is mechanically ventilated. Although not completely known, the inflammatory process can damage the inner epithelial lining of the bronchi, alveoli, and even the blood vessels around them. These lesions appear particularly on immature lungs, so bronchopulmonary dysplasia is mainly considered a complication of preterm birth.
5. Risk factors for bronchopulmonary dysplasia
There are a few factors that are not directly responsible, but make bronchopulmonary dysplasia more likely, including:
The degree of preterm birth: the less developed the lungs, the more vulnerable they are. and the higher the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is rare in infants born after 32 weeks of gestation. Prolonged mechanical ventilation: mechanical ventilation stretches the alveoli, and when stretched too much, for a long time, the alveoli will be damaged. High oxygen concentration: the higher the oxygen concentration, the longer the oxygen breathing time, the greater the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Usually an oxygen concentration below 60% is considered a relatively safe level. Male children: male infants have a greater risk of being born prematurely, and are more likely to develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Status of pregnant women: pregnant women smoke cigarettes, use illegal drugs, pregnant women are not provided with enough nutrients, infections during pregnancy can affect the normal development of pregnant women. fetus, which can lead to premature birth, increase the risk of respiratory syndromes, and cause bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Stem cell transplantation has been shown to be effective in the treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. At Vinmec Times City, the only hospital in the North that has performed this technique with a success rate of 80%.
This is an advanced technique that can definitively treat severe pulmonary fibrosis in premature babies. Transplanted stem cells are pluripotent cells, helping the fibrosis of the lungs to mature well, increasing the chances of cure and healthy living for premature babies with pulmonary fibrosis complications, gradually reducing the time of dependence on machines, faster quickly return the child to a normal life.
Modern equipment system to support the treatment process, Labo stem cell bank, extraction, culture, high technology. Experienced Doctor: Doctor Tran Lien Anh and Nursing Team have in-depth knowledge and responsibility. Stem Cell Research Institute & Gene Technology: high technical level, capable of culturing stem cells.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is an unavoidable lung injury in premature infants if respiratory support is required. However, thanks to medical achievements, especially stem cell transplantation, this disease is no longer a long-term obsession. Vinmec Medical System has gradually applied and succeeded in not only nurturing premature babies but also preserving the child's respiratory function.
Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.
Article reference source: webmd.com
