Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnatomy and TypesFunctionConditionsTestingTreatments
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Anatomy and Types
Function
Conditions
Testing
Treatments
Bronchioles are the smallest air passages inside the lungs. They branch off like tree limbs from thebronchi—the two main air passages that receive air from thetrachea(windpipe) after being inhaled through the nose or mouth.
Bronchioles are vulnerable to conditions like asthma,bronchiolitis,cystic fibrosis, andemphysemathat can cause constriction and/or obstruction of the airways.
Treating conditions that affect the bronchioles may require a combination of lifestyle changes, medication, and therapeutic activities like controlled breathing.
Bronchiole Anatomy and Types
The lobular and terminal bronchioles are sometimes referred to as “dead space” because no air exchange occurs in these passages.
Bronchiole Function
The walls of the bronchioles have two notable components that also play an important role in respiration:
Conditions That Affect Bronchioles
A number of diseases can affect the lungs. These are classified as either obstructive, causing difficulty when exhaling, or restrictive, limiting your ability to inhale deeply. The following are common conditions that impact the bronchioles and affect breathing.
The Difference Between Bronchitis and Bronchiolitis
Tests for Diagnosing Lung Conditions
Lung function tests, also known aspulmonary function tests (PFTs), are frequently used to check how well your lungs are working. They can be used to diagnose certain conditions that affect the bronchioles, as well as monitor chronic lung diseases.
PFTs include:
Depending on PFT results and the suspected diagnosis, other types of testing and imaging may be done, including:
Treatments for Bronchiole Disorders
Several medications may be used to treat conditions that affect the bronchioles:
In addition to medication, the following therapies may be used:
Summary
Conditions of the bronchioles are treated according to their cause. Acute illnesses often only require short-term treatment, while chronic conditions like asthma and cystic fibrosis require ongoing treatment with medication, physical therapy, and supportive care.
21 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lee JW, Son JS, Choi JW, Han YJ, Lee JR.The comparison of the lengths and diameters of main bronchi measured from two-dimensional and three-dimensional images in the same patients.Korean J Anesthesiol. 2014;66(3):189–194. doi:10.4097/kjae.2014.66.3.189Rustam S, Hu Y, Mahjour SB, et al.A unique cellular organization of human distal airways and its disarray in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2023;207(9):1171-82. doi:10.1101/2022.03.16.484543Wagner PD.The physiological basis of pulmonary gas exchange: Implications for clinical interpretation of arterial blood gases.Eur Respir J. 2015;45(1):227-43. doi:10.1183/09031936.00039214Rokicki W, Rokicki M, Wojtacha J, Dżeljijli A.The role and importance of club cells (clara cells) in the pathogenesis of some respiratory diseases.Kardiochir Torakochirurgia Pol.2016;13(1):26-30. doi:10.5114/kitp.2016.58961MedlinePlus.Asthma.Piedimonte G, Perez MK.Respiratory syncytial virus infection and bronchiolitis.Pediatr Rev. 2014;35(12):519–530. doi:10.1542/pir.35-12-519National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences/National Institutes of Health.Bronchiolitis obliterans.Boon M, Verleden SE, Bosch B, et al.Morphometric analysis of explant lungs in cystic fibrosis.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2016;193(5):516-26. doi:10.1164/rccm.201507-1281OCAmerican Lung Association.Emphysema.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Pneumonia.MedlinePlus.Lung function tests.Americal Lung Association.Lung procedures, tests & treatments.Gadomski AM, Scribani MB.Bronchodilators for bronchiolitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(6):CD001266.doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001266.pub4HealthyChildren.org.Medications to treat asthma in children.Blakey J, Chung LP, McDonald VM, et al.Oral corticosteroids stewardship for asthma in adults and adolescents: A position paper from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand.Respirology. 2021;26(12):1112-1130. doi:10.1111/resp.14147Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Mucus thinners.Schuh S, Coates AL, Sweeney J, et al.Nasal suctioning therapy among infants with bronchiolitis discharged home from the emergency department: A randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2337810. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.37810American Lung Association.Oxygen therapy.Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Positive expiratory pressure.American Lung Association.Breathing exercises.Belli S, Prince I, Savio G, et al.Airway clearance techniques: The right choice for the right patient.Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:544826. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.544826
21 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lee JW, Son JS, Choi JW, Han YJ, Lee JR.The comparison of the lengths and diameters of main bronchi measured from two-dimensional and three-dimensional images in the same patients.Korean J Anesthesiol. 2014;66(3):189–194. doi:10.4097/kjae.2014.66.3.189Rustam S, Hu Y, Mahjour SB, et al.A unique cellular organization of human distal airways and its disarray in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2023;207(9):1171-82. doi:10.1101/2022.03.16.484543Wagner PD.The physiological basis of pulmonary gas exchange: Implications for clinical interpretation of arterial blood gases.Eur Respir J. 2015;45(1):227-43. doi:10.1183/09031936.00039214Rokicki W, Rokicki M, Wojtacha J, Dżeljijli A.The role and importance of club cells (clara cells) in the pathogenesis of some respiratory diseases.Kardiochir Torakochirurgia Pol.2016;13(1):26-30. doi:10.5114/kitp.2016.58961MedlinePlus.Asthma.Piedimonte G, Perez MK.Respiratory syncytial virus infection and bronchiolitis.Pediatr Rev. 2014;35(12):519–530. doi:10.1542/pir.35-12-519National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences/National Institutes of Health.Bronchiolitis obliterans.Boon M, Verleden SE, Bosch B, et al.Morphometric analysis of explant lungs in cystic fibrosis.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2016;193(5):516-26. doi:10.1164/rccm.201507-1281OCAmerican Lung Association.Emphysema.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Pneumonia.MedlinePlus.Lung function tests.Americal Lung Association.Lung procedures, tests & treatments.Gadomski AM, Scribani MB.Bronchodilators for bronchiolitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(6):CD001266.doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001266.pub4HealthyChildren.org.Medications to treat asthma in children.Blakey J, Chung LP, McDonald VM, et al.Oral corticosteroids stewardship for asthma in adults and adolescents: A position paper from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand.Respirology. 2021;26(12):1112-1130. doi:10.1111/resp.14147Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Mucus thinners.Schuh S, Coates AL, Sweeney J, et al.Nasal suctioning therapy among infants with bronchiolitis discharged home from the emergency department: A randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2337810. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.37810American Lung Association.Oxygen therapy.Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Positive expiratory pressure.American Lung Association.Breathing exercises.Belli S, Prince I, Savio G, et al.Airway clearance techniques: The right choice for the right patient.Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:544826. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.544826
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lee JW, Son JS, Choi JW, Han YJ, Lee JR.The comparison of the lengths and diameters of main bronchi measured from two-dimensional and three-dimensional images in the same patients.Korean J Anesthesiol. 2014;66(3):189–194. doi:10.4097/kjae.2014.66.3.189Rustam S, Hu Y, Mahjour SB, et al.A unique cellular organization of human distal airways and its disarray in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2023;207(9):1171-82. doi:10.1101/2022.03.16.484543Wagner PD.The physiological basis of pulmonary gas exchange: Implications for clinical interpretation of arterial blood gases.Eur Respir J. 2015;45(1):227-43. doi:10.1183/09031936.00039214Rokicki W, Rokicki M, Wojtacha J, Dżeljijli A.The role and importance of club cells (clara cells) in the pathogenesis of some respiratory diseases.Kardiochir Torakochirurgia Pol.2016;13(1):26-30. doi:10.5114/kitp.2016.58961MedlinePlus.Asthma.Piedimonte G, Perez MK.Respiratory syncytial virus infection and bronchiolitis.Pediatr Rev. 2014;35(12):519–530. doi:10.1542/pir.35-12-519National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences/National Institutes of Health.Bronchiolitis obliterans.Boon M, Verleden SE, Bosch B, et al.Morphometric analysis of explant lungs in cystic fibrosis.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2016;193(5):516-26. doi:10.1164/rccm.201507-1281OCAmerican Lung Association.Emphysema.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Pneumonia.MedlinePlus.Lung function tests.Americal Lung Association.Lung procedures, tests & treatments.Gadomski AM, Scribani MB.Bronchodilators for bronchiolitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(6):CD001266.doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001266.pub4HealthyChildren.org.Medications to treat asthma in children.Blakey J, Chung LP, McDonald VM, et al.Oral corticosteroids stewardship for asthma in adults and adolescents: A position paper from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand.Respirology. 2021;26(12):1112-1130. doi:10.1111/resp.14147Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Mucus thinners.Schuh S, Coates AL, Sweeney J, et al.Nasal suctioning therapy among infants with bronchiolitis discharged home from the emergency department: A randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2337810. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.37810American Lung Association.Oxygen therapy.Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Positive expiratory pressure.American Lung Association.Breathing exercises.Belli S, Prince I, Savio G, et al.Airway clearance techniques: The right choice for the right patient.Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:544826. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.544826
Lee JW, Son JS, Choi JW, Han YJ, Lee JR.The comparison of the lengths and diameters of main bronchi measured from two-dimensional and three-dimensional images in the same patients.Korean J Anesthesiol. 2014;66(3):189–194. doi:10.4097/kjae.2014.66.3.189
Rustam S, Hu Y, Mahjour SB, et al.A unique cellular organization of human distal airways and its disarray in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2023;207(9):1171-82. doi:10.1101/2022.03.16.484543
Wagner PD.The physiological basis of pulmonary gas exchange: Implications for clinical interpretation of arterial blood gases.Eur Respir J. 2015;45(1):227-43. doi:10.1183/09031936.00039214
Rokicki W, Rokicki M, Wojtacha J, Dżeljijli A.The role and importance of club cells (clara cells) in the pathogenesis of some respiratory diseases.Kardiochir Torakochirurgia Pol.2016;13(1):26-30. doi:10.5114/kitp.2016.58961
MedlinePlus.Asthma.
Piedimonte G, Perez MK.Respiratory syncytial virus infection and bronchiolitis.Pediatr Rev. 2014;35(12):519–530. doi:10.1542/pir.35-12-519
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences/National Institutes of Health.Bronchiolitis obliterans.
Boon M, Verleden SE, Bosch B, et al.Morphometric analysis of explant lungs in cystic fibrosis.Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2016;193(5):516-26. doi:10.1164/rccm.201507-1281OC
American Lung Association.Emphysema.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Pneumonia.
MedlinePlus.Lung function tests.
Americal Lung Association.Lung procedures, tests & treatments.
Gadomski AM, Scribani MB.Bronchodilators for bronchiolitis.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(6):CD001266.doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001266.pub4
HealthyChildren.org.Medications to treat asthma in children.
Blakey J, Chung LP, McDonald VM, et al.Oral corticosteroids stewardship for asthma in adults and adolescents: A position paper from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand.Respirology. 2021;26(12):1112-1130. doi:10.1111/resp.14147
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Mucus thinners.
Schuh S, Coates AL, Sweeney J, et al.Nasal suctioning therapy among infants with bronchiolitis discharged home from the emergency department: A randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2337810. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.37810
American Lung Association.Oxygen therapy.
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.Positive expiratory pressure.
American Lung Association.Breathing exercises.
Belli S, Prince I, Savio G, et al.Airway clearance techniques: The right choice for the right patient.Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:544826. doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.544826
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