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. 1968 Jul;23(4):356–369. doi: 10.1136/thx.23.4.356

Mucoid impaction of the bronchi in relation to asthma and plastic bronchitis

A D Morgan 1, W Bogomoletz 1
PMCID: PMC471803  PMID: 5736360

Abstract

Mucoid impaction of the bronchi is a condition which deserves wider recognition in this country. It should be considered in any asthmatic subject who may be suspected on clinical or radiological grounds to be suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis or neoplasm. Although 120 cases have been reported since 1951, there are no reports from this country in the British literature. As we have seen three cases in one hospital, we believe that mucoid impaction is being diagnosed under other headings, for example plastic bronchitis. Most of the changes in lungs removed for mucoid impaction are those of asthma, although other factors may play a part. We have compared the pathologies of mucoid impaction, asthma, and plastic bronchitis, and conclude that, while they overlap considerably, they are not identical. Mucoid impaction is an uncommon complication of asthma and certain forms of bronchitis; plastic bronchitis has a much wider aetiological background and is not a pathological entity.

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Selected References

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