Small blisters themselves will not cause symptoms, and patients with simple blisters often have no symptoms. Some bullae can remain unchanged for many years, and some bullae can gradually increase. The enlargement of pulmonary bullae or the appearance of new pulmonary bullae in other parts can make lung function disorder and gradually appear symptoms. Huge pulmonary bullae can make patients feel chest tightness and shortness of breath. Sudden enlargement and rupture of pulmonary bullae can produce spontaneous pneumothorax, which can cause severe dyspnea and chest pain similar to angina pectoris.
Patients with pulmonary bullae often have chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and emphysema, and the clinical symptoms are mainly caused by these diseases, but the clinical symptoms are further aggravated after the formation of pulmonary bullae. Secondary infection of pulmonary bullae can cause cough, expectoration, chills and fever, and severe cyanosis. If the drainage bronchus is blocked and the pulmonary bullous cavity is filled with inflammatory substances, the cavity can disappear. Clinically, the symptoms of infection may disappear after treatment, but the shadow of pulmonary bullae on chest radiograph lasts for weeks or months.
Asymptomatic pulmonary bullae need not be treated, and patients with chronic bronchitis or emphysema are mainly treated for primary lesions. Antibiotics should be used when secondary infection occurs.
Spontaneous pneumothorax caused by pulmonary bullae rupture can be cured by non-surgical treatments such as thoracic puncture and closed thoracic drainage, but recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax needs surgical treatment. Pulmonary bullae can be ligated or sutured during the operation, and pleural adhesion can be fixed by tetracycline or 2% iodine in the chest to prevent the recurrence of pneumothorax.