What Is Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia?
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or BPD, is a serious
lung condition that affects mostly babies who:
- Are born more than 10 weeks before their due
dates
- Weigh less than 2½ pounds, or 1,000 grams,
at birth
- Have breathing problems at birth
- Need long-term breathing support and oxygen
Many of these babies are born with serious
respiratory
distress syndrome (RDS). Their lungs haven't yet developed enough to make
surfactant (sur-FAK-tant). Surfactant is a liquid that coats the inside of the
lungs and keeps them open so that the baby can breathe in air once he or she is
born.
As a result, these babies are usually put on oxygen
and a breathing machine at birtheither a ventilator (also known as a
respirator) or a nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) machine.
This can prevent damage to their brains and other body organs from lack of
oxygen. They also are given surfactant.
Most babies with RDS begin to get better within the
next 2 to 4 weeks. But some get worse and need more oxygen and/or breathing
assistance from a machine. These babies have developed BPD.
The lungs of the babies who are born with RDS and go
on to develop BPD are less developed than those of babies with RDS who recover.
They usually have fewer and larger alveoli, or air sacs, than other newborns.
They also may have fewer tiny blood vessels in the alveoli. The blood vessels
are needed to move oxygen from the alveoli into the bloodstream. (See
"How the Lungs Work" for more information.)
These babies also are more likely than other infants
to have problems in other parts of their bodies that aren't yet fully
developed. These include the heart, kidneys, brain, stomach, intestines, and
eyes.
With new and better treatments now available, most
babies with BPD get better over time, and many go on to live normal, active
lives.
May 2007
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