carlos
Message 1 of 1
i wanted to add this post to this disc. bd. because i did not notice any of the other mssgs mention pleurodesis as a preventive procedure against the reoccurance of pneumos after having a first one. after what i have learned, i see myself in the high risk group of susceptibility to pneumothorax- (35 yr male, tall 6'-1", slim built 158lbs and very athletic (lots of sports and running). my mother also had a spontaneous pneumo when she was in her 40's followed by a second reoccurance in her 50's that involved surgery to remove blebs. she is in her late 60's now with no reoocurance since. i got a left pneumo (first one ever)sometime last thurs. and did not check into the hospital until sat. am. i just returned home from the hospital yesterday in the afternoon. i was with a chest tube for 3 days with light suction until the lung self inflated and healed itself. a catscan showed no signs of blebs so my doctors decided i did not need any surgery. if i did, they would have performed microsurgery using a tube and a camera through a small incision(much less intrusive than incisions involving spliting ribs or through the back) but before the chest tube was removed, the doctors performed a pleurodesis which involves injecting doxycycline (an antibiotic) through the chest tube into the pleural cavity. the doxycycline causes the outside of the lung sac to adhere to the plueral wall which will reduce reoccurance in the future. this has the same effect as roughing the lung and pleural wall with 'sandpaper' to make it stick together. the doxycycline is not without its risks but preferable when chances for a pneumo to reoccur is around 20-60%. i am recovering at home now with not much pain at all other than some minor discomfort around the area where chest tube was inserted. it does not hurt when i cough anymore...i am expecting the discomfort to dissipate completly in a couple of days. i had my procedure done in lenox hill hospital in manhattan, new york. i would be interested in reading/receiving comments from others who have undergone pleurodesis and its efficacy in terms of reducing reoccurences of pneumothorax. carlos