The disorder is associated with a focal disappearance of a bronchial lumen with an interruption of the bronchial tree. If the bronchus is accessible to bronchoscopy then it appears to end blindly.
Lung parenchyma distal to the atretic portion of the bronchus anatomically normal.
Usually this affects a segmental or subsegmental bronchus but occasionally it may affected a major bronchus.
Complications:
(1) mucus plugging distal to the atretic bronchus
(2) underinflation or overinflation of lung distal to the atretic segment
(3) recurrent pulmonary infections (with stenosis rather than complete atresia)
(4) chronic cough
Changes seen on routine chest X-rays may include:
(1) opacity in the lung which is often near the hilum
(2) localized change in lucency peripheral to the opacity
Lung CT imaging is more sensitive in detecting and defining the problem.
Differential diagnosis:
(1) endobronchial tumor
(2) mucus plugging
(3) foreign body
(4) other congenital defect of the lung such as agenesis
