- Stages of LAM
- Information on Lung Collapse
- What is Pleurodesis?
- Finding the Right Doctor
- Navigating a Lung Transplant
Information on Lung Collapse
A collapsed lung, known medically as a pneumothorax, may occur in women with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) at some point during the course of their illness.
What causes the lung to collapse?
LAM is characterized by the excessive growth of muscle cells around the airways, blood and lymph vessels. These LAM cells accumulate and can block the airways, trapping air in the smallest air compartments in the lung (alveoli) and making it difficult for a person to move air into and out of the lungs. This results in a breakdown of the lung tissue and the formation of small cysts or blebs (air filled cavities). As air fills the space between the wall of the chest cavity and then the lung itself, the lung can collapse.
Diagnosis
If you have a collapsed lung you will experience a sudden shortness of breath or chest pain. Your health care provider will examine you, check your vital signs (e.g., blood pressure, temperature, pulse) and listen to your heart and breathing pattern. Low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, low levels of blood oxygen, decreased or absent breath sounds over the lung may indicate a collapsed lung. Your health care provider may order a chest X-ray or a computed tomography (CT) scan to confirm the collapsed lung. On a chest X-ray, the collapsed lung generally appears as a dark area in the chest.
Symptoms of a collapsed lung include:
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Painful fast breathing
- Sharp chest pain, typically on one side
- Tightness in the chest
- Rapid heart rate
- Cough
Treatment
Treating a collapsed lung may include removal of air from the lining between the lung and chest (also known as the pleural space). This can be done with a needle and syringe or by inserting a chest tube. Treatment will depend on the size and location of the collapsed lung, as well as your general health. It is not uncommon for patients with LAM to have recurrent lung collapses. For these patients, doctors may recommend chemical injection, or pleurodesis, to fuse the lung and the chest wall together.
If you suspect you have a collapsed lung, seek medical care immediately. This can be life-threatening.
Questions to Ask Your Provider
- How long will it take for me to recover?
- Are there specific activities I should avoid during recovery?
- What is the likelihood that I will have another collapsed lung?
- What should I pay attention to that might give me an early warning?
- Is there a way to prevent subsequent lung collapses?
Patient Perspectives on Lung Collapses and LAM
Learn more about the symptoms, cause and treatment of LAM.
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