Progressive destruction or wasting of the bronchial tubes, usually caused by tuberculosis or chronic infection.
From Greek 'bronchos' (windpipe) + 'phthisis' (wasting away or tuberculosis). The term 'phthisis' comes from an ancient Greek word describing the wasting that occurs in tuberculosis, combining two ancient disease concepts.
This word is really a relic of the Victorian era when tuberculosis was the leading cause of death, and doctors used this term to describe the tragic wasting and destruction of lungs they saw in TB patients before antibiotics existed.
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