Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a chronic lung disease of premature infants, characterized by disrupted lung development and lung injury. It is the most common complication of prematurity. Acute injury to the premature, developing lung, often as a result of necessary neonatal care, may progress to chronic lung injury, a process influenced by prenatal and perinatal factors, with abnormal repair and remodeling occurring as the lung develops and matures over months to years. The strongest risk factors for bronchopulmonary dysplasia are prematurity and low birth weight, and it is also more common in infants who require prolonged treatment with supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation for respiratory distress syndrome.