[The air-blood barrier in chronic bronchitis deformans]

The authors studied the aerohematic barrier (AHB) in chronic bronchitis deformans in 30 children. Lung fragments obtained during the operation were examined. A morphofunctional study in chronic bronchitis deformans with and without bronchiectasia revealed uniform changes of the capillaries and epithelial elements. The AHB showed also some different changes. Namely, vacuolization of endothelial cells and an increase of type II alveocytes with small osmophilic lamellar bodies were more pronounced in chronic bronchitis deformans. Changes in AHB elements may be caused by immature lung parenchyma and by compensatory processes directed for restoration of structures destroyed by the inflammatory process.