Bronchiomalacia

[Marty37]

Can Bronchiomalacia be acquired as an adult?  I am 70 years old and have Bronchiomalacia.  I am now retired but worked in a building that has asbestos, mold, bird, mouse/rat and cockroach feces in it.  I was assigned to work in our old city jail building in 1989 and almost immediately began developing a cough that continued to worsen as the years went by.  I went to several different doctors who did X-rays and just treated me for the cough.  The cough became persistant and I finally went to see a Pulmonologist who did a brochioscope and discovered I have a condition call Bronchiomalacia.  I worked in the building for over ten years.  I have no prior history of coughs, colds or any other problems with my breathing until I was put into that building.  I have always been active as a young girl I was very active in sports, basketball, softball, swimming.  I was 43 years old when I applied and was accepted to the Police academy and made it through with flying colors so I can't help but feel that my condition was caused by the environment I worked in.  Please let me know if there is such a thing as adult acquired bronchiamalacia. My doctor has me on Combivent, Asmanex, Singular and Zytec which controls the cough and helps with the shortness of breath.
Thank you for your help

[123Sandi]

Hi.  I have been posting comments on this forum for the first time today!  I have a question about the mold.  I have been diagnosed with mild COPD, emphasema. I was living in a house with black mold for three long years.  Could I have developed Tracheo-bronchomalacia instead of mild COPD?  I have asthma that has been poorly controlled over ten years.  I did not always remember to take the meds
I will be having a CT scan soon. I was tested as a teen for allergies, and mold was one of them. I'm just trying to make sense of all of this, since I have never smoked a day in my life. What should I do to see if it could be this other thing, tracheo-bronchomalacia

[National Jewish Health]

Tracheo-bronchomalacia (TBM) can be acquired as an adult.  It is being diagnosed, with increasing frequency.  It has been described in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis.  It has also been reported in people exposed to mustard gas, suggesting that inhalation of any of a number of corrosive substances could result in TBM.

A number of the substances you believe you inhaled (asbestos, mold, bird, mouse/rat and cockroach feces) have been shown to cause a chronic inflammatory condition of the lungs, which is called hypersensitivity pneumonitis or extrinsic allergic alveolitis.  It is reasonably likely that you, with continuous exposure, may have had the chronic form of this disease that can result in permanent lung damage, such as fibrosis, commonly called scarring.  We could find no evidence of an association with TBM.  You might wish to discuss all of this, including the use of silicone stents for airway stabilization (below) with the pulmonologist.  You might also want to ask about the potential benefit of pursed-lip-breathing and the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine while asleep.

Your doctor has you on good medications.