Talk:Pleurodesis

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I would like to know if there are any risks to a chemical Pleurodesis. I have an air pocket at the top of my right lung from surgery I had Feb. 28 and has not healed yet. The chest tube has been in that long also. Thanks, Kathy

Kathy,

The risks may outweigh the benefits. My daughter experienced excruciating pain during and after the chemical pleurodesis ( with tetracycline)which she elected to try.

She would not recommend that procedure to anyone. Her recovery from that was more difficult than from earlier surgery.

Her three episodes of Spontaneous Pneumothorax were treated as: 1st occurence, chest tube and observation only, 2nd occurence, small incision surgery to staple bleb. . That surgery seemed to be successful until exactly one year later when she experienced 3rd occurence. All on right side.

From info we have been able to gather, consult a pulmonologist as well as the surgeon (if it is an emergency room visit and chest tube is really necessary) before you elect surgery and espcially before considering chemical pleurodesis.

We've learned that sometimes a pneumothorax will correct itself, so observation is sometimes an option the surgeon may play down.

Pneumothorax.org is a good website.

Good luck to you!