Connect
← Return to Anyone experience lung collapse after esophagectomy?
Discussion
Anyone experience lung collapse after esophagectomy?
Esophageal Cancer | Last Active: Feb 24 9:35am | Replies (15)Comment receiving replies
@lindainca Hello I'm glad you feel better. This is recent history, are you only 10 weeks out? Did they say why the fluid built up, was it a leak? do you still have the tube/stent in (are they the same things)? my brothers doing better today 🙂 they think he'll be out of ICU tomorrow. we thought we might loose him. they fixed the leak and put a stent in. they gave him a feeding tube too. the dr. said the leak was so small they had to use a camera. he said it had caused the infection. From what I've read if these leaks are going to happen its usually within two weeks of the surgery and they're the most serious complication. before he had the surgery i had freaked myself out reading about it on dr. google. Everything went so well at first i relaxed... now i kinda feel, ok well we got that monster off the table. lets put it behind us as fast as we can. thank you for writing
Replies to "@lindainca Hello I'm glad you feel better. This is recent history, are you only 10 weeks..."
@ajax2026 Hi Linda, I had the leak too. It was like a sprinkler and I am not kidding. There was something off when drinking and feeding so they figured I had a leak and sent me for a scan where I had to drink Barium? or some type of contrast liquid while they scanned me and took video. I could see my self on xray while the liquid went down my throat and then out like a sprinkler it was funny and scary at the same time. The leak healed on its own though but I wonder if my stricture was because of the leak or the infection from surgery on mu neck. In any case I am doing great now and I am sure your brother will too. Feel free to contact me if you or your brother need to chat. We can actually talk if you want.
I am glad to help.
Manuel
Connect
@ajax2026 Yes, I’m 10-1/2 weeks out. In my case, I was told the fluid build up was not due to a leak, but the overall trauma of such an extensive surgery. A 12-hour surgery is quite traumatic for sure. When I went back to the hospital for the persistent cough (three weeks after the surgery), they simply placed a drain tube in my side (only under mild sedation and local anesthetic). They removed the drain tube easily the day I was released, with only a quick and painless tug and a light dressing. The wound closed up within two days, and no coughing since then. Best of luck to your brother in his recovery.