What Are the Causes of an Occlusion in the Upper Lungs?

An occlusion of the upper lungs is the closing, obstructing or bringing together of a passageway, according to MedicineNet. When the upper lungs are occluded, air, or in some cases, blood vessels, cannot pass through as is necessary for lung function. There are various types of occlusions that may occur in the lungs and the consequences that result range in severity from mild discomfort to death.

Inflammation

• Asthma causes the airways to become inflamed.

  Inflammation can occlude the upper lungs in individuals with asthma. Asthmatic episodes (or attacks) narrow the airways due to inflammation. During the attack, the patient wheezes, coughs and experiences chest tightness. There are treatment options for asthma but there is no cure, and asthma attacks can be fatal. One of the common factors associated with asthma fatality is failure to recognize the severity of the asthma attack. It can result in an inappropriate, even fatal, delay in receiving treatment, according to reports by the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Mucus or Fluid

• Smoking is the leading cause of chronic bronchitis.

  Bronchitis is a condition that causes the mucous membranes in the airways to become inflamed, thus causing an occlusion of the lungs. Bronchitis can be acute (short lived) or chronic. Acute bronchitis is usually caused by a viral infection like a cold or the flu and can last for about three weeks, according to MedicineNet. Chronic bronchitis is generally caused by smoking, and is usually not fatal.

Tumors

• In some cases, a tumor can occlude the upper lung. The Journal of Clinical Pathology reported a case in which a 52-year-old woman developed a tumor in her upper left lung. She had a condition known as PVOD (pulmonary veno-occlusive disease) which is a rare disease that sometimes occurs in patients who have lung cancer and is often fatal. Tumors in the upper lung occludes the airways and pulmonary veins.

Blood Clots

• A pulmonary embolism occurs when pieces of a blood clot from another part of the body break off and travel to the lungs. Often times, the blood clot, or thrombus, begins in the lower legs. It can be present in other places throughout the body, but the legs are the most common site for blood clots. The pieces of the blood clot that break off, the emboli, travel through the body and collect in the pulmonary arteries of the lungs. The resulting embolism occludes the passageway, preventing the free flow of blood vessels. This occlusion can be fatal.