Multidisciplinary management in bronchiectasis

Lucy Morgan
Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia

Bronchiectasis is a complex, chronic lung disease requiring comprehensive and individualized care. Due to its multifactorial nature encompassing recurrent infections, impaired mucus clearance, airway inflammation, and accompanied comorbidities, an optimal management necessitates a multidisciplinary approach.

A multidisciplinary care team comprising of respiratory physicians, physiotherapists, radiologists, infectious disease specialists, immunologists, and nursing staff plays a vital role in optimizing patient outcomes. Key elements of multidisciplinary care include accurate diagnosis through high-resolution CT imaging, sputum microbiology, and immunologic workup, personalized treatment plans with airway clearance techniques, antibiotic stewardship, vaccination, and management of underlying causes such as immunodeficiencies or autoimmune disease.

Case-based multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussions enhance decision-making, especially in complex or refractory cases. Evidence supports that MDT-led care improves exacerbation rates, reduces hospitalizations, and enhances patient satisfaction. As bronchiectasis prevalence rises globally, embedding multidisciplinary models into standard practice is critical.