“Can people of ventilation ever get out of it?”
My sister is 28 years old and suffered a severe bout of pneumonia that caused a reasonable amount of damage to both her lungs. She is now at home but requires CPAP ventilation and is unable to sustain without it. Will this be a permanent situation or is there a cure?
4 Answers
THE ANSWER WOULD BE STRONGLY DEPENDENT ON THE SPECIFIC LUNG ABNORMALITY SHE HAS DEVELOPED AND THE RESULTS OF CARDIAC AND PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTS AS WELL AS OTHER ASSESSMENTS.
When it comes to ventilator support, the reason for which one needs it plays a role in either it's permanent or not. In the case of your sister, a pneumonia is usually a reversible condition with the proper treatment, unless other conditions are present as will. Chances are with time, the lung capacity would improve and she would need the ventilator less and less. Hang in there.
If your sister was hospitalized for pneumonia, she might have needed to go home with oxygen, which would be re-evaluated as an out-patient as she hopefully improves. The CPAP, if worn at night, is most often used for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. It is possible that while in the hospital it was noted that she had the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea and is now being treated. I suggest that her follow-up appointments include a pulmonologist to help sort through this.
The answer is complex, you need 4-8 weeks for complete recovery from pneumonia. The damage on the lungs, only the presence of fibrosis (fancy term for scar) is permanent and usually needs oxygen not CPAP, I suggest follow up with Pulmonoligist outpatient after the 8 weeks to reassess the lungs with Pulmonary Function Tests, imaging and exercise oximetry.
Andres Borja Alvarez, MD
Andres Borja Alvarez, MD
