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A lung biopsy is a medical procedure performed to remove a sample of tissue from the lungs to determine the presence of lung disease or lung cancer. The procedure is done using an open or closed method. Closed biopsies are performed through the skin or trachea (windpipe) while open biopsies are done in the operating room under general anesthesia. Which method your doctor chooses will depend upon what part of the lungs the sample is taken from and your overall, general health.[1]
The Four Methods of Lung Biopsy
A lung biopsy is performed using one of the following four methods:
Pleuritic chest pain is caused by inflammation of the pleura – the tissues that surround the lungs and line the inner chest wall[1]. This type of chest pain is characterized by sudden and intense sharp, stabbing, or burning pain in the chest when inhaling and exhaling. It’s exacerbated by sneezing, coughing, deep breathing or laughing[2]. The condition that causes pleuritic chest pain is called pleurisy.
Causes of Pleurisy
When the pleura become irritated and inflamed, the two membranous pleural layers rub against each other like two pieces of sandpaper producing pain when you breathe. Causes of pleurisy include:1
Bronchiectasis is among a group of lung diseases classified as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , or COPD. The disease is marked by an abnormal widening and thickening of the large airways (bronchi) of the lungs as a result of chronic inflammation and/or infection. When the airways thicken, excess mucus pools in the widened areas, leading to infection and airway obstruction. Normally, cilia – tiny hair-like structures that line airways – gently sweep back and forth to aid in the process of mucus clearance. In bronchiectasis, however, the cilia are destroyed making mucus clearance much more difficult. This leads to repeated cycles of inflammation, infection and airway obstruction typical of bronchiectasis.[1]
Although bronchiectasis is irreversible, with treatment, symptoms can be managed and most people can live relatively normal lives.[2]
As chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) worsens, the flow of air to and from your lungs gets increasingly limited making it gradually more difficult to breathe. Once you’ve reached Stage II COPD, otherwise known as moderate COPD, your lung function becomes reduced to between 50% and 79% of the predicted normal[1]. What else should you expect during State II COPD?
What to Expect in Stage II COPD
Causes
Tachypnea can be caused by a wide range of health problems including: