Hi all,
In august my doc found a mass and said she thought it was in the pericardium,,,I went to a thoracic surgeon yesterday and he says he thinks the mass is in my lung... It is 5.5X7.5 mass. He has ordered a bronchoscopy, can anyone tell me what this procedure is like? Will I be completely knocked out? Any help and advice of any sort would be welcome. My new doc is at the Karmanos Cancer Institiue. Thanks much
Cheri
Hi there...you won't be completely knocked out because they need you to keep breathing during the procedure, but you're unlikely to remember any of it. They usually give a sedative called midazolam (Versed) which sedates you and has the property that you don't remember things when you come to. You may vaguely remember a little bit of discomfort or pain, but nothing serious.
I have a question...you original doctor thought it was a pericardial mass? How did he or she come up with that? And what type of doctor was the doctor that thought the mass was in the pericardium?
Hi there...you won't be completely knocked out because they need you to keep breathing during the procedure, but you're unlikely to remember any of it. They usually give a sedative called midazolam (Versed) which sedates you and has the property that you don't remember things when you come to. You may vaguely remember a little bit of discomfort or pain, but nothing serious.
I have a question...you original doctor thought it was a pericardial mass? How did he or she come up with that? And what type of doctor was the doctor that thought the mass was in the pericardium?
Hi thanks much for your response. I was having a cough since May. Finally went to doc in August,,, she did an x-ray which showed "something, possibly a fat pad" we weren't too worried,,,,,she sent me for a cat scan and it showed "pericardial mass". She told me "to be perfectly honest she didn't know what to do with that information" and she sent me to a cardiologist. He did tests and said the mass was not effecting my heart. So actually the first two docs I saw were just going on the ct scan report, my last trip to the cardiologist he said he would have liked to get a look at that scan, and that he though the mass should be biopsied.
I have another question if anyone is still listening,,,,, would an infection in the lung appear as a "mass" on ct scan??? Thanks again.
Cheri
Hi thanks much for your response. I was having a cough since May. Finally went to doc in August,,, she did an x-ray which showed "something, possibly a fat pad" we weren't too worried,,,,,she sent me for a cat scan and it showed "pericardial mass". She told me "to be perfectly honest she didn't know what to do with that information" and she sent me to a cardiologist. He did tests and said the mass was not effecting my heart. So actually the first two docs I saw were just going on the ct scan report, my last trip to the cardiologist he said he would have liked to get a look at that scan, and that he though the mass should be biopsied.
I have another question if anyone is still listening,,,,, would an infection in the lung appear as a "mass" on ct scan??? Thanks again.
Cheri
Kind of....an infection in the lung, on an x-ray appears as an opaque white area when you look at it. On a CT, an infection would also look like an opaque white area, but it wouldn't be quite as opaque as a mass like a tumour or a granuloma.
Kind of....an infection in the lung, on an x-ray appears as an opaque white area when you look at it. On a CT, an infection would also look like an opaque white area, but it wouldn't be quite as opaque as a mass like a tumour or a granuloma.
thank you so much for all your information and time and patience. I know that my breathing difficulties get better when I am on antibiotics for something else, then get progressively worse when I go off them.......I guess I am really hoping its a bacteria and can be cured with antibiotic therapy rather than thinking its cancer. Thanks again for your shared knowledge.
Cheri
they will take some scrapings during the bronchoscopy and maybe other tissue samples for biopsy and culture. If you have an infection they will be better able to give you the right antibiotic. do you cough stuff up or just cough? My Dr. wants me to have one because of my cough and I am scared to death because I had one Dr. tell me I would not survive a bronchoscopy and my regular pulmonolgist tells me that is not true. Still it scares me. I have severe emphysema. If you have ever had a colonoscopy lor endoscopy they use the same sedation usually. Please let us know when you have it and how it was. I want to have a CT scan first. it has been two years since I had one. X-ray was clear except for emphysema.
Well, that is great. the pulmonologiest I have now is also my regular Dr. and has been for over three years and I hate to think I don't trust him because I have entrusted my life to him. I will push first for a high resolution CT scan or spiral scan and go from there. Frankly I have been coughing most my life from one thing or another and have so much scar tissue but I really thought once I quit smoking the coughing would subside but instead it got worse in my opinion. Will, have to play it day by day, I guess. Anyway, someone was looking out for you and you escaped that. I hope you don't smoke
Well, that is great. the pulmonologiest I have now is also my regular Dr. and has been for over three years and I hate to think I don't trust him because I have entrusted my life to him. I will push first for a high resolution CT scan or spiral scan and go from there. Frankly I have been coughing most my life from one thing or another and have so much scar tissue but I really thought once I quit smoking the coughing would subside but instead it got worse in my opinion. Will, have to play it day by day, I guess. Anyway, someone was looking out for you and you escaped that. I hope you don't smoke
well shoot!
Doc called and thinks I DO need the bronch am looking forward to getting this mess checked out, but am a real nervous nelley about getting the procedure.
Cherib
[QUOTE=cheribea]well crud . Well said. I hear it is not as bad as we think. but let us know. My coughing has stopped somewhat so maybe I can get by without it. I hope, I hope.
Thank you so much. My Dr. keeps telling me it isn't bad and the nurse in the office says she has never heard anyone complain but just the thoughts of someone in my lungs when they are so messed up already. My Dr. is a very gentle person but stuff happens. I am going to ask for the CT scan first so if there is something it will be a guide. I have to find out why my left lung always has junk in it. It always has but it has gotten worse since I quit smoking. I am so grateful for your words. I know how you feel cause I was so apprehensive about my colonoscopy which was terrible but I was still glad when itwas over. and was glad I had it done Years ago they did not sedate you enough for bronchoscopy so I heard some bad stuff. will take it step by step and thank you. Yes, lavage is right. Did't know about breathing the lidocaine. Take care.
mass bronchopscopy 
Re: mass bronchopscopy 
Re: mass bronchopscopy 
they will take some scrapings during the bronchoscopy and maybe other tissue samples for biopsy and culture. If you have an infection they will be better able to give you the right antibiotic. do you cough stuff up or just cough? My Dr. wants me to have one because of my cough and I am scared to death because I had one Dr. tell me I would not survive a bronchoscopy and my regular pulmonolgist tells me that is not true. Still it scares me. I have severe emphysema. If you have ever had a colonoscopy lor endoscopy they use the same sedation usually. Please let us know when you have it and how it was. I want to have a CT scan first. it has been two years since I had one. X-ray was clear except for emphysema.
am looking forward to getting this mess checked out, but am a real nervous nelley about getting the procedure. 
