Preemies

Preemies with lung collapses?

Hi everyone, I've got a friend with 31 weeker in the NICU.  He is ~2 weeks old and on the conventional vent now and evidently has a lung that was partially collapsed, but it now completely collapsed.  Madeline didn't have that problem during her NICU stay, so I don't have any experience with it to be able to help my friend.  Did any of your LOs have lung collapses while in the early days/weeks?  What did they do for them?  What did the doctors say about outcomes, etc.  I just know that her current FB status says that they are "praying for a miracle" tonight and I don't know exactly what is happening.  Is this something that they really can't help (hence the need for a miracle to fix it)?  Are there positive stories or words of hope and encouragement you can share from your experience that I could post to her tonight?

Thanks!!!

 

Re: Preemies with lung collapses?

  • I don't remember exactly one - maybe day after a few days, Andrew's lung collapsed due to a pneumothorax.  They caught it in time, and were able to vent his lung with a chest tube. 

    I was terrified when they showed me the "before" and "after" pictures of his lung.  But, it healed so.quickly!  I think within a few-ish days.  He did require a high frequency ventillator (oscillator) because his lungs were fragile, but he was okay!

    Andrew even came home without any oxygen requirements.

    I'll be praying for your friend's little one!

  • Thanks Lemen99!  I wish I knew more about what happened, but I was away for the holiday and out of touch with her.  I hope that they caught it early an that he is on the road to recovery from it soon!  I will tell her about your story and any others that are posted here in hope that it comforts her.
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  • Angelina's lung collapsed when she was a couple of weeks old. She was put on the ocillator to give it a chance to heal as well. She was on the conventional vent for 6 weeks total, but she came home breathing completely on her own. T and Ps! 
  • Thanks msalinardi...  I am so glad to hear that your LOs lung healed so well adn that the long vent time didn't cause dependence on breathing support for her!  I'll pass your story on as well!
     
    BTW - My friend is a fellow Texan currently in Austin. 
  • DS had one the first day... once they found it, they took him off CPAP and put him under the oxygen hood.  It healed very quickly (within a day).

    T&P for your friend.

  • Olivia had several lung collapses in the beginning.   They switched her from a regular vent to an oscillator.  They even went back and forth between the two to try and help her.   For the most part it took time and patience 

    Hopefully they caught it early and he can heal quickly.  

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