Bronchial asthma: overinflation of the lungs

Status asthmaticus: Note the overinflated lungs secondary to airway obstruction.

 Bronchial asthma

This specimen shows a cross section of a lung from an asthmatic

with obstruction of major airways (bronchi). The lung is collapsed,
due to absorption of air trapped by obstruction of airways (bronchi
and bronchioles). The large and medium-sized bronchioles are
thick-walled and they are filled with greyish-white, jelly-like mucus
plugs. It is these plugs, rather than spasm of airway muscle, that
have caused the partial collapse of the lung, low arterial oxygen and
high carbon dioxide.
 Bronchial asthma

This cast of the bronchial tree is formed of inspissated mucus and was coughed up by a patient during
an asthmatic attack. The outpouring of mucus from hypertrophied bronchial submucosal glands, the
bronchoconstriction, and dehydration all contribute to the formation of mucus plugs that can block
airways in asthmatic patients.
 Bronchial asthma

Asthma is characterized by reversible airways obstruction in small airways. The latter is due to a
combination of bronchospasm and mucus plugging. Note mucus plugging of the lumen, smooth muscle
 Bronchial asthma

Lt. Between the bronchial cartilage below and the bronchial lumen filled with mucus at the top is a
submucosa widened by smooth muscle hypertrophy (arrow), edema, and inflammation (mainly
eosinophils).
Rt. At high magnification, the numerous eosinophils are prominent from their bright red cytoplasmic
granules.