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PubMed This is a summary of 11 peer-reviewed journal articles Updated
Pulmonology · Congenital Bronchial Atresia

Recognizing Symptoms and Managing Risks

At a Glance

Congenital Bronchial Atresia (CBA) is often asymptomatic but can cause recurrent pneumonia, chronic cough, and shortness of breath due to trapped mucus. Patients should consult a pulmonologist about the risks of lung collapse (pneumothorax) before flying or scuba diving.

For many people, Congenital Bronchial Atresia (CBA) is a “silent” finding, discovered by chance during an imaging scan for an unrelated issue [1][2]. However, for others, the structural differences in the lung can lead to a specific range of symptoms and complications.

Common Symptoms

When CBA does cause symptoms, they typically relate to the fact that one segment of the lung cannot clear itself properly. The most common signs include:

  • Recurrent Pneumonia: This is often the hallmark of symptomatic CBA. Because mucus is trapped behind a blockage, it cannot be coughed up, which makes the area more susceptible to bacterial buildup [3]. Patients often find they get “the same pneumonia” in the exact same spot in their chest multiple times [4][5].
  • Chronic or Intermittent Cough: A persistent cough may develop as the body tries to clear the area around the blocked segment [6][7].
  • Shortness of Breath or Chest Tightness: The over-inflated (hyperinflated) segment of the lung can sometimes put pressure on healthy surrounding tissue, leading to a feeling of breathlessness, especially during exercise [4][7].

Atypical Infections

Because the trapped mucus (the bronchocele) stays stagnant for long periods, it can harbor unusual organisms that don’t typically cause problems in healthy lungs. Doctors may look for:

  • Fungal Infections: Organisms like Aspergillus can colonize the mucus, sometimes leading to localized inflammation that is resistant to standard antibiotics [8].
  • Mycobacterial Infections: Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (such as Mycobacterium avium) have been known to grow within the blocked segments of CBA patients [9].

Pneumothorax and Lifestyle Precautions

The “trapped air” in the affected lung segment can cause that area to become very thin and fragile (forming bullae). If one of these fragile areas ruptures, air can leak into the chest cavity, causing the lung to collapse, a condition known as a pneumothorax [10][11].

Important Lifestyle Warning: Because of this risk of trapped air, changes in barometric pressure could potentially be dangerous. Patients should explicitly ask their pulmonologist whether activities like scuba diving or flying in unpressurized aircraft are safe for them.

Infection Prevention

Since localized infections are a primary risk, protecting the rest of your respiratory system is vital. Talk to your doctor about staying up-to-date on respiratory vaccines, including:

  • Pneumococcal vaccine (to protect against common bacterial pneumonia)
  • Annual Influenza (flu) vaccine
  • RSV and COVID-19 vaccines

Having a plan in place for what to do at the first sign of a chest cold can also help manage the risk of it turning into a more serious localized infection.

Return to Home

Common questions in this guide

What are the main symptoms of congenital bronchial atresia?
While often discovered by chance, CBA can cause symptoms when mucus gets trapped behind the blocked airway. The most common signs are recurrent pneumonia in the exact same spot in the lung, chronic cough, and shortness of breath during exercise.
Why do I keep getting pneumonia in the same part of my chest?
In CBA, mucus gets trapped behind a blockage and cannot be coughed up. This stagnant fluid becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to repeated pneumonias in that specific, blocked segment of the lung.
What is a bronchocele and why can it cause atypical infections?
A bronchocele is a buildup of trapped, stagnant mucus in the lung. Because it sits there for long periods, it can harbor unusual organisms that don't normally affect healthy lungs, such as fungal infections or non-tuberculous mycobacteria.
Is it safe to scuba dive or fly with congenital bronchial atresia?
You should explicitly clear these activities with your pulmonologist. Because CBA can create fragile, trapped pockets of air in the lung, changes in barometric pressure from scuba diving or flying in unpressurized aircraft can increase your risk of a collapsed lung.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Curated prompts to bring to your next appointment.

  1. 1.Given my specific scan results, are there any restrictions on pressure-changing activities like scuba diving or flying?
  2. 2.Is the recurrent pneumonia I've been experiencing located in the same segment of the lung as the CBA?
  3. 3.Which respiratory vaccines do you recommend I prioritize to protect my lung health?
  4. 4.Should we screen for atypical infections like fungal or mycobacterial growth within the bronchocele?

Questions For You

Tap a prompt to share your answer — we'll use it plus this page's context to start a tailored conversation.

References

References (11)
  1. 1

    Bronchial atresia with calcified bronchocele.

    Marchiori E, Hochhegger B, Zanetti G

    Jornal brasileiro de pneumologia : publicacao oficial da Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisilogia 2020; (46(6)):e20200263 doi:10.36416/1806-3756/e20200263.

    PMID: 33111753
  2. 2

    Surgery for congenital bronchial atresia.

    Higuchi R, Goto T, Nakagomi T, Oyama T

    Asian cardiovascular & thoracic annals 2018; (26(6)):485-488 doi:10.1177/0218492318780805.

    PMID: 29860894
  3. 3

    Congenital bronchial atresia in adults: thoracoscopic resection.

    Traibi A, Seguin-Givelet A, Grigoroiu M, et al.

    Journal of visualized surgery 2017; (3()):174 doi:10.21037/jovs.2017.10.15.

    PMID: 29302450
  4. 4

    Finger-In-Glove Sign in Congenital Bronchial Atresia.

    Xu J, Gong H, Tong R, et al.

    Respirology case reports 2025; (13(6)):e70247 doi:10.1002/rcr2.70247.

    PMID: 40535724
  5. 5

    [Surgical Treatment for Congenital Bronchial Atresia and Intralobar Sequestration in the Same Lobe].

    Kamiya K, Ozawa Y, Konishi T, et al.

    Kyobu geka. The Japanese journal of thoracic surgery 2021; (74(8)):591-594.

    PMID: 34334600
  6. 6

    [Resection of Left Upper Division by Uniportal Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery for Congenital Bronchial Atresia:Report of a Case].

    Jinbo M, Goura H, Fujita A, et al.

    Kyobu geka. The Japanese journal of thoracic surgery 2022; (75(2)):150-154.

    PMID: 35249094
  7. 7

    Finger-in-glove sign in congenital bronchial atresia.

    Ariza Prota MA, Diez Jarilla JL, Prieto A, et al.

    Canadian respiratory journal 2015; (22(5)):255.

    PMID: 26083540
  8. 8

    Congenital bronchial atresia complicated by a lung abscess due to Aspergillus fumigatus: a case report.

    Kuwabara G, Sone R, Imoto W, et al.

    BMC pulmonary medicine 2021; (21(1)):2 doi:10.1186/s12890-020-01367-5.

    PMID: 33407289
  9. 9

    Mycobacterium avium infection complicating congenital bronchial atresia.

    Matsuoka K, Ueda M, Miyamoto Y

    Asian cardiovascular & thoracic annals 2016; (24(8)):808-810 doi:10.1177/0218492316661463.

    PMID: 27465238
  10. 10

    Pulmonary hypertension and congenital bronchial atresia: A time factor association.

    Alebna PA, Kim DH, Chaudhary R, Tavares M

    Respiratory medicine case reports 2019; (28()):100882 doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2019.100882.

    PMID: 31297310
  11. 11

    Complex congenital lung malformation resection by uniportal VATS-case report.

    Hasenauer A, Forster C, Ojanguren A, Gonzalez M

    Journal of surgical case reports 2021; (2021(4)):rjab069 doi:10.1093/jscr/rjab069.

    PMID: 35070259

This page provides educational information about Congenital Bronchial Atresia symptoms and risks. It does not replace professional medical advice. Always consult your pulmonologist before engaging in pressure-changing activities like scuba diving.

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