← Return to First appointment at Mayo with Medical Genetics

Discussion

First appointment at Mayo with Medical Genetics

Visiting Mayo Clinic | Last Active: Nov 7, 2017 | Replies (17)
Comment receiving replies
@dawn_giacabazi

@lazyironman. No I am not diagnosed with SP but however I have had some patients with the blebs (air sacs) which in their cases they may have had them for a relatively long time and more than one. In one of my female patients, The length of time is unknown since they had no prior images to rupture. She simply was flying when one of hers ruptured. I also know based on my prior patient who was a long time smoker that the doctors contributed smoking to the cause of His. However he had imaging done in his 20’d that showed no evidence of blebs and now images show 4 just 54 years later.
I am a bit curious to find out what genes you have that may be know as triggers to the structural framework of the cells development and uptake.

Please keep in mind I am speaking from experience. I am not qualified to give you medical advice.

Sincerely
Dawn

Jump to this post

Replies to "@lazyironman. No I am not diagnosed with SP but however I have had some patients with..."
lazyironman | @lazyironman | Nov 6, 2017

Thanks @dawn_giacabazi . There doesn't seem to be a lot of discussion within thoracic surgery as to WHY these blebs develop. That's my biggest question. They certainly know how to fix it but the WHY is most important to me and perhaps we won't know that answer for some time. Smoking does seem to be a risk factor (I've never smoked though). I had a CT 11 years ago when my left lung kept collapsing and in reviewing it a few months ago after my right collapsed, there were no obvious blebs on the right side back then. It looked like there may have been a small apical bleb but when the surgeon went in, the bleb that had burst was the size of a tangerine (her words) and on the back side of my middle lobe, so who knows when, how or why that one developed. The apical blebs were also removed but were intact.

I'm temped to request the tissue that was removed so I can perform my own pathology on them and look at various biomarkers. That doesn't seem to be a clinical standard but maybe that's the best way to find out what is different in healthy lung tissue versus the area of the bleb.

VIEW AND REPLY