Abstract
Forty-eight cases with bronchiectasis were classified into 3 different types ; cylindrical type-29, saccular type-8, and combined type-11, from the findings found on bronchograms. The clinical background and bronchofiberscopic findings of each type were studied. There were no significant differences of sexuality, mean age and mean age displaying the first symptom among the three types. However, all patients who became symptomatic at a young age belonged to the cylindrical type. Hemoptysis, bloody sputum and sputum were common symptoms in all three types. The cylindrical type patients had more severe complaints than those of the two other types. Major bronchofiberscopic findings of brnchiectasis were swelling, thickening and redness of the mucosa. The frequency of swelling and redness did not differ among these three types but thickening and atrophy were more frequently observed in the cylindrical type patients. Dilatation of the bronchial lumen which was supposed to be a direct sign of bronchiectasis was recognized in 5 cases. Differential diagnosis with other bronchial inflammatory diseases was difficult to ascertain from bronchofiberscopic findings because the intraluminal changes of bronchiectasis seems to be mainly caused by secondary inflammation.
