When conventional glaucoma surgery called a trabeculectomy (a type of microsurgery) is performed, in essence your doctor is making a new drain pipe so fluid from the inside of the eye can be directed to the outside of the eye, thus relieving pressure. The tissue that forms a fluid reservoir over this surgically created hole is called a “bleb.”
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What is the big deal about a bleb, anyway?
With traditional glaucoma surgery (trabeculectomy), a blister-like fluid collection (called a “ bleb ”) must be present on the surface of the eye for the surgery to work. Aqueous fluid (the fluid inside the eye) flows through the fistula into this bleb where it then finds its way out of the eye. If this bleb scars down, the the surgery fails and the intraocular pressure (IOP) goes back up potentially causing a further loss of vision from glaucoma.
What does bleb stand for?
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What does the name bleb mean?
noun Bleb. A large vesicle or bulla, usually containing a serous fluid; a blister; a bubble, as in water, glass, etc. Etymology: Prov. E. bleb bleib blob, bubble, blister. This word belongs to the root of blub blubber blabber, and perh. blow to puff.
How to pronounce bleb?
- A bubble, such as in paint or glass.
- (medicine) A large vesicle or bulla, usually containing a serous fluid.
- (cytology) An irregular bulge in the plasma membrane of a cell undergoing apoptosis.
- (geology) A bubble-like inclusion of one mineral within another.
What does blebs stand for?
Definition of bleb 1 : a small blister. 2 : bubble also : a small particle.
What is inside the bleb?
In medicine, a bleb is a blister-like protrusion (often hemispherical) filled with serous fluid. Blebs can form in a number of tissues by different pathologies, including frostbite and can "appear and disappear within a short time interval".
What is the difference between blebs and bullae?
Blebs and bullae are sharply defined, air-containing spaces that are bounded by curvilin- ear, hairline shadows. According to the Fleischner Society Glossary of Terms for Thoracic Imaging, a bleb is a cystic space l cm or less in diameter; anything larger than this is defined as a bulla.
What is a bleb in the lung?
A pulmonary bleb is a small collection of air between the lung and the outer surface of the lung (visceral pleura) usually found in the upper lobe of the lung. When a bleb ruptures the air escapes into the chest cavity causing a pneumothorax (air between the lung and chest cavity) which can result in a collapsed lung.
How do you needle a bleb?
Use a bent 25-gauge needle on a tuberculin (TB) syringe to enter the conjunctiva superotemporally to the scarred area and use a side-to-side sweeping motion to lyse the scar tissue using the edge of the bevel until you see a raised bleb.
How does a bleb work?
This process results in a small blister of fluid, called a bleb, on top of the eye's surface but underneath the eyelid. The fluid inside the blister gets absorbed into blood vessels and does not cause excess tearing. The bleb is hidden by the upper eyelid and generally not noticeable by other people.
Are blebs hereditary?
In most cases, a person inherits the FLCN gene mutation from an affected parent. People who have an FLCN gene mutation associated with primary spontaneous pneumothorax all appear to develop blebs, but it is estimated that only 40 percent of those individuals go on to have a primary spontaneous pneumothorax.
Are blebs normal?
Blebs are a very common finding in otherwise normal individuals. They are often found in young patients. They are more common in thin patients and in cigarette smokers 1.
Are blebs serious?
However, when sufficient air has become trapped in the pleural space, sometimes indicated by chest pain, blebs can trigger lung collapse (spontaneous pneumothorax). Partial or wholly collapsed lungs can be life-threatening.
Does everyone have lung blebs?
Epidemiology. Blebs are a very common finding in otherwise normal individuals. They are often found in young patients. They are more common in thin patients and in cigarette smokers 1.
Can vaping cause blebs?
It is possible that chronic vaping may also lead to bleb formation.
Can lifting weights cause collapsed lung?
Although rare, weightlifting can be a cause of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Surgical correction is required for a large pneumothorax to avoid recurrence.
What is the term for the formation of blebs?
Most commonly, blebs are seen in apoptosis (programmed cell death) but are also seen in other non-apoptotic functions. Blebbing, or zeiosis, is the formation of blebs.
How does bleb form?
Bleb formation can be initiated in two ways: 1) through local rupture of the cortex or 2) through local detachment of the cortex from the plasma membrane. This generates a weak spot through which the cytoplasm flows, leading to the expansion of the bulge of membrane by increasing the surface area through tearing of the membrane from the cortex, ...
What are blebs used for?
Blebs have been seen in cultured cells in certain stages of the cell cycle. These blebs are used for cell locomotion in embryogenesis. The types of blebs vary greatly, including variations in bleb growth rates, size, contents, and actin content. It also plays an important role in all five varieties of necrosis, a generally detrimental process. However, cell organelles do not spread into necrotic blebs.
What is the chemical that inhibits the formation of blebs?
In 2004, a chemical known as blebbistatin was shown to inhibit the formation of blebs. This agent was discovered in a screen for small molecule inhibitors of nonmuscle myosin IIA and was shown to lower the affinity of myosin with actin, thus altering the contractile forces that impinge on the cytoskeleton-membrane interface.
What is the cause of bleb growth?
Bleb growth is driven by intracellular pressure generated in the cytoplasm when the actin cortex undergoes actomyosin contractions. The disruption of the membrane-actin cortex interactions are dependent on the activity of myosin-ATPase
What is a bleb in a cell?
In cell biology, a bleb is a bulge of the plasma membrane of a cell, human bioparticulate or abscess with an internal environment synonymous to that of a simple cell, characterized by a spherical, bulky morphology.
What is the function of blebs in apoptosis?
During apoptosis (programmed cell death), the cell's cytoskeleton breaks up and causes the membrane to bulge outward. These bulges may separate from the cell, taking a portion of cytoplasm with them, to become known as apoptotic blebs.
What is a bulla?
bulla. 1. a circumscribed, fluid-containing, elevated lesion of the skin, usually more than 5 mm in diameter. Called also blister and bleb. 2. an anatomical structure with a blisterlike appearance. adj., adj bul´late, bul´lous.
Is there a way to prevent bleb from happening again?
There is not a proved way of preventing from it to happen again after treatment, unfortunately.. More discussions about bleb. This content is provided by iMedix and is subject to iMedix Terms. The Questions and Answers are not endorsed or recommended and are made available by patients, not doctors.
What is the big deal about bleb?
What Is The Big Deal About A Bleb? With traditional glaucoma surgery (trabeculectomy), a blister-like fluid collection (called a “ bleb ”) must be present on the surface of the eye for the surgery to work.
What is the chemical used to preserve bleb?
In order to prevent this from happening most modern trabeculectomy surgeons use a chemical called an “antimetabolite” to preserve the bleb. The most commonly used antimetabolite (Mitomycin-C, or MMC) causes permanent damage to the eye tissue in the area of the surgery. The tissue exposed to MMC is very fragile and does not heal well.
What happens if you scar down a bleb?
If this bleb scars down, the the surgery fails and the intraocular pressure (IOP) goes back up potentially causing a further loss of vision from glaucoma. Unfortunately, the body wants to scar down the bleb as part ...
Can a bleb be formed with canaloplasty?
Occasionally (about 6% of the time), a bleb will spontaneously form with Canaloplasty. However, because most Canaloplasty surgeons do not use MMC, the bleb is usually “shallow” and unlikely to result in Tear Dysfunctional Syndrome or blebitis. References.
Is canaloplasty bleb free?
Canaloplasty is a “blebless” (or bleb -free) procedure. With Canaloplasty no fistulas are created and there is no need to modify the natural healing of the eye. Without a bleb, there is no worsening of Tear Dysfunctional Syndrome or risk of blebitis.
How to get rid of bleb after breastfeeding?
Some sources suggest applying olive oil to a cotton ball and wearing it in the bra so that the oil softens the skin where the bleb is located 2.
Can you remove bleb while nursing?
This may make it easier for the baby to remove the bleb while nursing. If that works, go ahead and treat the area to assist in healing (e.g. saline rinse, application of expressed breastmilk, application of an antibiotic ointment that is compatible with breastfeeding).
Resection
The operation for bleb resection can be done via mini-thoracotomy or thoracoscopy. The procedure is performed with general anesthesia using a special endotracheal tube that allows intentional collapse of the lung which is operated on.
After Surgery
Content For the first day or so, a chest tube is left in to help adhere the once deflated lung to the chest wall (pleural symphysis). The tube will be removed if no leak is apparent, and the patient will be sent home. Patients will undergo physical therapy to promote recovery.
What is a bleb in the lung?
Lung blebs, air-filled cysts that form on the lung pleura, tend to be asymptomatic. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), also known as a collapsed lung, is nearly 10 times less common in females than males. Tall stature, low-body mass index, and smoking are some risk factors for PSP. Treatment options for lung blebs can range from chest tube ...
What is the cause of blebs and bullae?
Blebs and bullae are thought to be tied to an underlying disease such as bronchitis, emphysema (known as a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD)), cystic fibrosis, and even cancer. However, even otherwise healthy young men (18-20+) can fall prey to a primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) event, characterized by abnormal air accumulation in ...
How to treat blebs in the lung?
Treatment options for lung blebs can range from chest tube placement to thoracic surgery for pleural resection. Surgical intervention is usually only necessary following one or more recurrence of PSP. Compared to chest X-ray screening, low-dose computed tomography reduces lung cancer deaths by 20%. Small air-filled blisters or cysts (blebs) ...
Why do I have blebs and bullae?
That’s because blebs are especially prevalent in damaged lung tissue.
How much more likely are men to get blebs?
Men are far more likely than women to develop blebs and bullae by a margin of approximately 70% to 30%. Likewise, there are certain high-risk occupations that could increase your risk of developing lung blebs, such as those that put you in close contact with dust, chemicals, fibers, germs, or smoke among other things.
Where do blebs appear in the lung?
Pulmonary blebs tend to appear in the upper lobes of the lung. When they rupture, the air held in the bleb escapes into the chest cavity, leading to a collapsed lung ( pneumothorax ). Depending on the degree of collapse and a patient’s overall respiratory status, symptoms can include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, ...
Can you have a lung bleb?
A person can have just one lung bleb or numerous blebs, and might never know they are there unless detected by a CT scan. However, when sufficient air has become trapped in the pleural space, sometimes indicated by chest pain, blebs can trigger lung collapse (spontaneous pneumothorax).
What is the difference between a blep and a mlem?
What’s the difference between a blep and a mlem? As you can see from the images above, a blep is leaving the tongue out like the blep cat, and a mlem is licking. This licking can be lapping up water, licking, an animal, and can indicate emotion.
What does it mean when a dog boops?
The most common behavior that has an adorable but somewhat-unknown name is the “boop.”. To boop means to bop something on the nose or bop something with your nose. There are countless examples, but these are absolutely the cutest. The excited boop happens fairly often, particularly with dogs.
Do domestic animals blep?
Domestic animals share this obnoxiously cute trait with their wild counterparts as well. While we’re not used to seeing them do it, even the most ferocious of wild beasts are prone to the occasional blep!
Is bleping bad for cats?
It might be a little intrusive to reach out and boop their tongues when your pets blep, but you have to. Bleping isn’t just for cats. While they are certainly notorious for it, their canine counter parts are just as guilty.