[tri-med] Re: Fluid Around the Lungs

Would this be like a collapsed lung? (or partially collapsed?).

Debbie, mom to Claire (t18)

On 11/17/05, Irene Smith <67.irene@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Caroline had a pleural effusion this summer. We went in to see an ortho d=
r
> for AFOs and an x-ray showed a ton of fluid around her lung. I had notice=
d
> her breathing had been a little rapid over the last months, but other tha=
n
> that, she had no signs. I don't think she had pneumonia, but I don't know=
.
>  Anyway, we saw a pulmonologist (sp) and a surgeon in early Sept and she =
was
> hospitalized to drain the fluid with a chest tube. They drained about 15 =
oz!
> They claim they have no idea how this happened. The fluid was just fluid
> from her lung tissue, meaning her lung sort of collapsed which causes flu=
id
> to be pulled from the tissues and fill in the open space. The surgeon als=
o
> stated he was doubtful this was due to her trisomy, it was just a freak
> thing that will probably never happen again.
>  My mom's neighbor actually had this happen a few times in his life. His
> lung would collapse, the chest cavity would fill up and he would be
> hospitalized to drain it. I guess, if it happens again and again, they ca=
n
> "rough up" the lung surface so it will be better apt to "stick" up agains=
t
> the chest and not collapse again.
>  Caroline did just fine with this surgery. In fact, she is vomiting way l=
ess
> (other than her recent cold virus incident). I think that the fluid was
> putting pressure on her stomach and causing her to feel sick.
>  It's always something.....
> --
> Irene
> Christina (4), Caroline (2 with partial trisomy 17p) and Kallie (born
> 6/23/05)
> Caroline's site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/carolinesmith
>  On 11/17/05, Karen <karens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "jwaite"
> > > Fluid 'around' the lung??? As in the chest cavity???
> >
> > Its called a "Pleural Effusion" and can happen as a complication of
> > pneumonia. Its not actually free in the chest cavity - just in the area
> > immediately around the lungs and it of course stops the lungs from
> > expanding, which makes the pneumonia worse. Sometimes they insert tubes=
 to
> > drain the fluid away.
> >
> > "We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to se=
e
> > an
> > imperfect person perfectly"
> > Sam Keen
> >
> > Keep Looking For Rainbows!!
> > _--_|\
> > /Karen \
> > \ _.--._ /
> > v Karen, Mum to Alex (11 years, T-18 Mosaic)
> > http://members.optushome.com.au/karens
> >
> > Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
> > www.trisomyonline.org <http://www.trisomyonline.org>
> > Families Helping Families On-line
> >
> >
>
>
> :
>
>                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
>                       www.trisomyonline.org
>                  Families Helping Families On-line
>
>


--
Time flies when your having rum.
Sleep is for Pansies.

Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossib=
le!
If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.
                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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