Collapsed Lung (pneumothorax)

[Time_Bandit]

I have a question for the Doctor Deco please!

I was today reading the Sport Diver Magazine (not sure if it's just a UK Publication) and they were talking about how potentially dangerous it could be if you've suffered a collapsed lung in the past.

So I go home and have a good read of the medical form I am about to fill out for my Rescue Diver Padi course and see that they do ask about this medical condition (that'll teach me not to read it properly!).

My question to the Doctor is simply should I worry. I had 'Double' pneumonia as a child and at the same time a collapsed lung (I assume it was the pneumonia that caused the collapsed lung). I haven't suffered any breathing difficulties or tightness in the chest whilst diving.

Many thanks in advance for your opinion!

Andy

 

[Sasquatch]

Interesting. I, too, suffered a collapsed lung. Should I be cautious or is there a good test of functionality within modern medicine?

 

[TSandM]

The question with past pneumothorax is the etiology of the problem. Some people have "blebs", or blisters on the lining of the lung, or abnormally enlarged air spaces that predispose to pneumothorax. Those people would be at substantially increased risk of collapsed lung with any diving incident. On the other hand, people who have had, for example, a pneumothorax due to trauma, are probably at no higher risk than the general population.

A pneumothorax suffered as the result of a pneumonia could indicate substantial structural damage to the lung. On the other hand, often, when people talk about a "collapsed lung" as a result of pneumonia, it meant the airways got plugged with mucus and the lung just collapsed in on itself -- no air escaped from the lung into the space between the lung and chest wall, which is what a pneumothorax is.

If there is any substantial question about lung structure and predisposition, a high resolution CT scan of the lung will confirm or deny the presence of any significantly abnormal areas of lung structure.

 

[aedavidson]

I also have a question in this area. My son who is now 10 was born with or suffered a pnuemothorax during delivery. I was thinking of getting him into diving in a few years, would this be a risk? He is very athletic and shows no signs that this has affected him.

 

[Time_Bandit]

The question with past pneumothorax is the etiology of the problem. Some people have "blebs", or blisters on the lining of the lung, or abnormally enlarged air spaces that predispose to pneumothorax. Those people would be at substantially increased risk of collapsed lung with any diving incident. On the other hand, people who have had, for example, a pneumothorax due to trauma, are probably at no higher risk than the general population.

A pneumothorax suffered as the result of a pneumonia could indicate substantial structural damage to the lung. On the other hand, often, when people talk about a "collapsed lung" as a result of pneumonia, it meant the airways got plugged with mucus and the lung just collapsed in on itself -- no air escaped from the lung into the space between the lung and chest wall, which is what a pneumothorax is.

If there is any substantial question about lung structure and predisposition, a high resolution CT scan of the lung will confirm or deny the presence of any significantly abnormal areas of lung structure.

Thanks for the reply....out of interest are you a Doc.

Dr Deco do you concur.....do you think I need to worry?

Again thanks in advance.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Folks,

TSandM is, in fact, an Emergency Room physician who has taken up diving. Her answer to your question on "collapsed lungs" can be taken as a professional's statement of current knowledge on the question.

Her statements, as with all those of medical personnel on this Board, should not, and cannot be taken as a definitive personal diagnosis, since she has no ability to examine either yourself or your case.

Cheers!

R. Davie
SB Staff

 

[**ping**]

Yep, lets sue all the docs on this board for mis-counseling in case we act really stupid underwater and need someone to put the blame on...

[sarcasm off]

Seriously, thanks to the medical professionals out there who take the time to give educated, to the point answers to our questions on this board. Without you people, there would be way more wild speculating à la "I have heard that you can get this and that if you do that and that." "Yep, stands to reason... I knew someone once who had a friend whose aunts partner's co-worker had the same thing...".

 

[Aeolus]

The question with past pneumothorax is the etiology of the problem. Some people have "blebs", or blisters on the lining of the lung, or abnormally enlarged air spaces that predispose to pneumothorax. Those people would be at substantially increased risk of collapsed lung with any diving incident. On the other hand, people who have had, for example, a pneumothorax due to trauma, are probably at no higher risk than the general population.

A pneumothorax suffered as the result of a pneumonia could indicate substantial structural damage to the lung. On the other hand, often, when people talk about a "collapsed lung" as a result of pneumonia, it meant the airways got plugged with mucus and the lung just collapsed in on itself -- no air escaped from the lung into the space between the lung and chest wall, which is what a pneumothorax is.

If there is any substantial question about lung structure and predisposition, a high resolution CT scan of the lung will confirm or deny the presence of any significantly abnormal areas of lung structure.

I had a pneumothorax about 25 years ago for no apparent reason. I have not had any reoccurence, but I do wonder about it sometimes. They did indicate that they thought that it was caused by a bleb, but I imagine that was just a guess. I get a physical regularly, but there is not any testing done specific to the pneumo. I have been diving (seriously) since 1994 without incident. I did get a release from my doctor and carry a release updated each year, just in case.

Bottom line - should any or all of us (post pneumo people) get a high res CT scan or something else to get reaasurance about the condition? I realize that this is information only - not a diagnosis, thanks.

DSDO

 

[TSandM]

Answer to the delivery pneumothorax question: Most likely, that person is not at any increased risk. Pneumos on delivery are generally traumatic.

For Aeolus, I'd certainly make sure I had at least had a good chest x-ray done. Whether you go for the CT scan or not depends in part on how much risk you are willing to accept. That's true for a lot of decisions about diving. It is known that patients with spontaneous pneumothorax have a significant risk of recurrence (sometimes stated as high as 30 to 50 percent). A number that high would probably make me do some investigating for my own safety.

 

[Aeolus]

I usually get a chest X-ray every other year and I have not had any trouble as yet.