pneumothorax left

[tele1964]

I HAVE JUST RECVD A COPY OF MY CT LUNG SCAN AND IT SHOWS AN:
ANTERIOR MEDIASTINAL HEMATOMA
LEFT PNEUMOTHORAX OF 1.5MM AT WIDEST POINT
SUBCUTANEOUS AIR IN THE SOFT TISSUE OF THE NECK
SUBSEGMENTAL ATELECTASIS RIGHT LOWER LOBE

THIS TESTS WAS PERFORMED BCAUSE AN ANESTHESIOLOGISTS WAS TRYING TO START A CENTRAL LINE FOR GERD SURGERY.  I HAVE SINCE BEEN RELEASED BY MY DR.
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS AND WONDER WHAT THE LONG TERM AFFECT OF THIS IS?
PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!!

TINA


This discussion is related to Atelectasis and Lung Nodules.

[Sunny602]

Also, please know that I am not a doctor, just a former nurse. :)

[Sunny602]

HI, after placement of any central line that you describe, docs always do an xray to check for pneumothoraxes (collapsed lungs). They do this because the lungs are so close to the vein that they want to access, it doesn't happen too often but sometimes the lung gets nicked by the needle.
According to your CT, there was a tiny amount of air in the neck (subcutaneous emphysema) and a tiny pneumothorax (too tiny to treat, if it were large enough, docs would  put a chest tube in to re expand the collapsed lung. Yours was very small and did not need it, it probably will go away on its own)
This is the best I can do, if you have any more questions you should ask your doctor who is familiar with your case.
I hope this helps...Sunny