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*Health Issues>>>Respiratory Diseases issues>>>has anyone experienced/know anyone who's had air leaking from their lungs into their chest cavity? |
Issue has anyone experienced/know anyone who's had air leaking from their lungs into their chest cavity? Best Tip What you are describing is called a pneumothorax, which is air in the space between the lung and you inner chest wall, causing the lung to collapse. It can happen several ways. One way is as a result of chest trauma, such as a stabbing or the chest striking the wheel in a car accident. Another way is from the rupture of an emphysematous bleb on the surface of the lung (a large bulla resulting from a diseased lung-emphysema) or from an invasive procedure done at a hospital, like insertion of a special IV line. A pneumo can also occur without an obvious cause, this usually occurs in tall slender people in their late teens or early 20's. However, there is evidence that suggest that cigarette smoking increases the likelihood of a primary spontaneous pneumothorax. Source(s): I'm a Respiratory Therapist Others I see that often in a hospital. The person will require a chest tube for drainage of fluid or air. This is caused by a congenital bleb on a lung that ruptures causing a spontaneous pneumothorax requiring intubation of chest wall for reduction. I had several spontaneous "pneumos" over the years due to Cystic Fibrosis and the corresponding damage to my lungs. Since my bi-lateral lung transplant I have not had any further pneumos. Some of them resolved themselves and others required hospitalization. One treatment option is based on using oxygen and another is pleurodesis, which I refer to as "gluing" the lung to the chest cavity. In actuality it's a procedure to create scarring between the outer lung and inner chest wall, causing the lung to remain inflated. There are a couple of different ways to administer pleurodesis, neither of which are pain free but may become necessary if other options don't resolve the issue (and not like having a pneumo is very comfortable). Unfortunately after pleurodesis there is no way to ensure the procedure was completely effective other than by a pneumo not reoccurring at a later time. If you suspect you have a pneumo you should immediately see a doctor since the oxygen levels in your body can be greatly affected and, if not treated, the entire lung can collapse. Best wishes. 39 year old Cystic Fibrosis patient - 2 years post lung transplant |
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