Panacinar Emphysema

Panacinar or panlobular emphysema

In this type of emphysema all portion of acinus are affected. It is the most often associated with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in middle aged smokers.

Morphologically

Grossly :

1. Involved lower zone of lungs more frequently and more severely than the upper zone.

2. Involvement may be confined to a few lobules, or a lobe or part of the lung.

3. The lungs are enlarged and overinflated.

Microscopically : 

1. All the alveoli within a lobule are affected to the same degree.

2. All portion of acini (respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveoli) are distended, dilated and their walls stretched and thin.

3. Ruptured alveolar walls and spurs of broken septa are seen between the adjacent alveoli.

4. Capillaries are stretched and thinned.

5. Special stains shows loss of elastic tissue.

6. Inflammatory changes are normally absent.



                                                                  Source : Textbook of pathology ( Harsh Mohan ) 7th edition

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