Excessive dynamic airway collapse: A condition behind the veil

Figure 1 The bronchoscopy or dynamic computed tomography visualization of central airways during expiration. A: It demonstrates the anatomical composition of the central airways which includes trachea and main bronchi. The posterior wall shows membranous portion while anterolateral wall represents the cartilaginous portion. The alteration in central airways during different phases of respiration are highlighted, where dynamic airway collapse can be appreciated in expiratory phase; B: It demonstrates different types of expiratory central airway collapse (ECAC), where defective membranous wall and cartilaginous wall result in the development of EDAC and different forms of tracheobronchomalacia. The arrows show diverse movement of airway lumen in varieties of ECAC. EDAC: Excessive dynamic airway collapse; TBM: Tracheobronchomalacia.