My husband had a CT guided needle biopsy on Tues. Before they did it they told him that since he has emphysema there was a 50% chance his lung would collapse - and it did. They put a chest tube in and it re-inflated. Some time during the day the chest tube became dislodged (we're not sure how) and it was discovered by the night nurse. They rushed him down to x-ray and good news - his lung was still inflated without the tube. Took x-ray the next morning and lung was collapsed again. So they put in a new chest tube with a screw. It seems every time they disconnect the chest tube from his lung it collapses. Now the surgeon is ordering that the x-rays be taken in my husband's room so that they don't have to disconnect the chest tube. They are hoping he comes home tomorrow but no guarantee. If he does come home then he will go to the surgeon's office on Tues for some lung function tests and have surgery for non-small cell lung cancer on Wednesday if lung function is good.
Has anyone had problems with ongoing collapsed lung? I am also aware that the lung surgery may cause other complications due to the emphysema. I will ask the doctor about that on Tuesday.
Any insight from your experience would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Maxsam
