Lung collapse?

[KarHart]

My husband may have CyberKnife radiation in a few weeks. He has never had a biopsy on his lung since the doctors felt his COPD was so bad the lung would collapse. When they place the fiducials around the tumor there is a chance this may happen. I know that a chest tube then needs to be placed. Has anyone had this happen? How bad is it? How long do you have to have the tube and are you in the hospital the whole time? Thanks for any info.

[Anais]

I had a website in my bookmarks that explains clearly chest tube thoracostomy:

http://www.thoracic.org/assemblies/cc/c ... eet12.html

Anaïs

[Wendy]

Sorry I cnanot help you with your questions, but want to wish you prayers for success in the treatments ahead.

Wendy

[Don M]

Hi: my left lung collasped a little over a year ago when I had a lung needle biopsy done. They let me go home for the thanksgiving holidays, with my collasped lung, thinking it might right itself. I had instructions to go to the local ER if I had any trouble breathing. I think it was a partial collaspe. The following Monday, I came back to the hospital where the test was done. My lung was still collasped, so they inserted a chest tube. I went home with it and came back the next day. They removed the tube and all was ok. In my case it was no big deal. I had early stage nslc and plenty of pulmonary capacity.

In your husband's case, there may be a bigger concern, if his pulmonary capacity is limited. He would definitely have a chest tube inserted immediately and stay overnite for observation. It could probably be removed the next day.

Don M

[Justakid]

I had my lung collapse two months after the lobectomy. I had problems breathing and wasn't going to mess around went to the ER. They admitted me and put me on oxygen and watched me. After two days it mostly inflated and I went home.

Pryor to that I had a wedge section and lobectomy, both with chest tubes. They were uncomfortable and the suction was noisy, other then that, OK.

Hope this helps some.

[Fay A.]

The chest tubes are uncomfortable, but the docs are good at keeping the discomfort to a tolerable level. My lung sealed itself after a few hours and (for the most part) reinflated.

Hoping all goes well for him.

[elnodel]

Len's lung collapsed during the biopsy and he had to be admitted to the hospital until it reinflated. As luck would have it, it refused to reinflate, even after they took out the original tube and put in a wider one in the hopes that THAT would do the trick. He was on some pain medication during this entire time; it was uncomfortable but not unbearable. Then, one week later, the morning of his lobectomy, the lung reinflated! A little late...he had no such troubles after the lobectomy. What was left reinflated within several days. Taking the chest tubes out was the most painful part of that process!

Ellen

[KarHart]

Thanks to everyone for the info. The web site was very informative. I hope he does not need one, it sure doesn't sound like fun. He's had 2 needle liver biopsies that did not bother him too much, so I guess he could handle it. I am the one that gets bothered more by needles, I can't watch, he can't not watch.