Emphysema: 1) A lung condition featuring an abnormal accumulation of air in the lung's many tiny air sacs, a tissue called alveoli. As air continues to collect in these sacs, they become enlarged, and may break, or be damaged and form scar tissue. Emphysema is strongly associated with smoking cigarettes, a practice that causes lung irritation. It can also be associated with or worsened by repeated infection of the lungs, such as is seen in chronic bronchitis. The best response to the early warning signs of emphysema is prevention: stop smoking and get immediate treatment for incipient lung infections. Curing established emphysema is not yet possible. Because patients don't have an adequate amount of space in the lungs to breathe, they gasp for breath, and may not be able to obtain enough oxygen. Those with severe emphysema usually end up using an oxygen machine to breathe. In some cases, medication may be helpful to ease symptoms or to treat infection in already-damaged lungs.
2) The escape of air into other body tissues, as may occur during surgery. This is called surgical emphysema. |
Copyright © 1996-2003 MedicineNet,
Inc. All rights reserved.
MedicineNet, Inc. does not endorse any of the services or products offered
on this page.
Information in the MedTerms Medical Dictionary is
provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for
professional medical advice. You should not use this information for
diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should carefully
read all product packaging. If you have or suspect you have a medical
problem, promptly contact your professional healthcare provider. |
